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The must-read story of a ministerial servant and his wife who woke up in the last few months
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Posted on July 9, 2015
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Daniel and Devon Genser are now enjoying their freedom after facing some huge dilemmas over the past few months
I will never forget the feeling of liberation I felt in November 2013 when I published the story of my awakening on JWsurvey, thus revealing my identity for anyone who knew me.
I knew the article would eventuate in my disassociation from the organization. In fact it took only two months for the inevitable phonecall from my congregation coordinator. But regardless of the ramifications, being open and honest about my authentic identity was absolutely the right decision – a decision I would make again and again if necessary.
It was with feelings of nostalgia for my own “outing” that I devoured the article published a few hours ago by Daniel Genser, only recently a ministerial servant in the North-Western corner of America. The article is titled “What I Believe to Be True – and How I Have Come to Believe It,” and I would urge all JWsurvey subscribers to read a superb treatise that brims with love, empathy, humanity, and above all, intellectual honesty.
What I Believe to Be True – and How I Have Come to Believe It
By Daniel Genser
I don’t want to rehash Daniel’s story because I want you to read it yourself, and I don’t think I could possibly do it justice. But it’s worth acknowledging how incredibly recently the events described in the above article transpired.
Daniel writes of still struggling to reconcile doubts over his faith as recently as the 2014 Annual Meeting at which JW Broadcasting was announced, and the now-notorious 2014 United States branch visit at which Tony Morris unleashed his ‘wisdom’ about certain types of clothing to 1 million bewildered American Witnesses.
Fast forward only a few months, and Daniel and his wife Devon find themselves in a remote part of Italy, completely free from their Witness indoctrination and, amazingly, with their relationship in tact having awoken simultaneously.
The journey of how they reached this realization, the insurmountable problems with Watchtower dogma they wrestled with, and the dilemmas they faced are all superbly and eloquently documented in Daniel’s article, which is why I feel it is so deserving of everyone’s attention.
Daniel’s thoughts on shunning are insightful and thought-provoking, and his writing on the 607 BCE controversy is one of the best concise treatments on this complicated subject I have ever read.
Apart from anything else, it is extremely heartening to see how quickly Jehovah’s Witnesses can shed their mindless loyalty to the Governing Body when they are intellectually honest and conscientious enough. And if that isn’t a happy-ever-after in itself, you have the fact that a husband and wife have pulled off this challenging feat side-by-side.
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74 Responses to The must-read story of a ministerial servant and his wife who woke up in the last few months
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Kat says:
July 9, 2015 at 5:13 am
Very well told and some great points, 607. but also this was well put, and I would hope that many JW that viewed this JWTV with Tony Morris would come away with the same impression.
“The next event was a special meeting for JW’s in the United States in early November. It was a live stream from world headquarters broadcasted to all congregations in the United States branch territory.
Anthony Morris III, one of the seven members of the Governing Body gave this talk to about 1,000,000 JWs across the USA.
This man, supposedly one of a select few chosen by Jesus Christ, chose on a historic occasion to talk all about the many spiritual dangers of tight pants. To guilt sisters who wear exercise pants — while jogging. To guilt trip brothers who wear close fitting suit pants. To call into question the reasonableness of fancy socks. To denigrate brothers over 23 years of age who are not in an appointed position. To assert that “tight pants” are an elaborate conspiracy by “homosexual fashion designers” because they want to see young JW men in them. It was embarrassing to listen to.
The way the the talk was delivered was embarrassing, too. It sounded as if he wasn’t even prepared. It sounded like he just rolled out of bed, got in front of the camera, and just started spouting off on his pet peeves. I left that meeting feeling very small. The religion I was in was not expansive, not life-affirming. It was small. It was petty. And it was utterly controlling.
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anonymous says:
July 9, 2015 at 11:12 am
@Kat, I enjoyed that comment from his article the most too and nobody could have been said it better!
This was an amazing article that he wrote and I am so glad that Lloyd posted it here for all of us to see.
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Melka says:
July 9, 2015 at 4:35 pm
That’s one of my favorite topics of the article too. I think the research that Daniel did regarding his questions and concerns about the organization and the doctrines are all along the same lines of research we’ve all done to be where we are at today, on this website. But the fact that he meticulously documented his research and facts, it’s absolutely priceless for someone questioning the organization. When I first came out, I didn’t actually know where to start, I would have loved to read this article.
But aside from that, I was thinking about how he felt when he saw Anthony Morris III give that talk. I came out before JW broadcasting, but up until then, I thought all the talks by the CO’s and DO’s were always so inspiring and affirming, and surely the GB would even be more so… but… they are clowns. I’m so glad Daniel and his wife could see that. I wonder if he would have delayed his decision to leave, or if his wife would have been as open to the discussion if it wasn’t for the “tight pants” talk.
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dontknowwheretogo says:
July 9, 2015 at 5:16 am
Just read it….utterly fantastic blog post. Concise and to the point…
I’ll be showing it to my still-in wife.
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Kat says:
July 9, 2015 at 5:21 am
And I would like to thank you for your bravery in coming out and publishing this very must read article, I am sure you will help many.
All the best to you and your lovely wife, and pleased you found a good home for your sweet cat!!
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bobow says:
July 9, 2015 at 5:45 am
I can identify myself with his opinion almost on 100%.
Anyway, after reading Franz’s books and checking some factographic sites like jwfacts, or explanatory sites like jwsurvey or meletivilon.com, I have an enormous bunch of arguments, why to leave.
Happy to read about him. This story might help me to get out my wife, what is the only reason, why I’m also still in.
But happy to tell, I finished to be an Elder, so now I’m in such a neutral state, 2-3 hours in the ministry a month, not inactive, not good enough to get any of the stupid privileges :)
Actually beside the obligation to visit meetings from time to time, it’s not a burden to be still in. Just what happens me often, that I start to laugh on meetings. Now is th assembly in front of us, so let’s see, how I can survive that
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Amber says:
July 9, 2015 at 10:33 am
Bobow, Lol about your comment about how you start to laugh in meetings now. I had exactly the same problem when I tried going back to appease my family. Once you are truly awakened you realize how silly it all sounds. I would also inadvertently click my tongue too, not realizing how loud it came out until I got the evil side eye from my sister. I knew then, it was no use trying to fake it. It was too hard!
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Bart says:
July 9, 2015 at 5:48 am
This guy sounds like me and my recent experience, doubts, beliefs, etc., with a couple differences…
1) He’s done a lot more research than I have. Just as I’ve never been good at memorizing Bible scriptures by number, I have a hard time breaking things down to specific details but go more by the big picture ideas.
2) My wife and I haven’t left, but are inactive. We recently moved to a new state, which has given us a brief respite, but ultimately still have the burden of accounting to our friends and family who expect us to fall right in with a new congregation out here.
I really appreciate this article, lots of food for thought.
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Rowland Nelken says:
July 9, 2015 at 6:02 am
Great piece of writing. It seems that the JW outfit becomes ever more dependent on cruel coercion in order to hold together. Perhaps this is in proportion to the bad publicity and its increasing availability.
He mentioned that shunning was really beefed up from the 1980s, the years after the 1975 nonense sent several JWs to the Kingdom Hall exit.
Having failed to steer its flock away from the internet, the Org is now having to compete with the oceans of ex and anti JW websites and vids available; so as well as making it ever harder to leave, JWdom is getting heavy on dunking the littluns before they have a chance to think for themselves.
How many within the org., despite harbouring serious doubts, only remain to avoid losing all family and social contact is hard to tell, but this piece suggests that there must be many such.
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Johannaes Hoekstra says:
July 9, 2015 at 6:28 am
Where we can read the story about 607 BCE – 1914CE?
On Facebook is : Lollard Movement
They want to replace the Governing Body and look for assist in the USA.
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Steve McRoberts says:
July 9, 2015 at 7:22 am
Kudos to both Daniel and Devon for their amazing journey, and for documenting it so well. Other than the decriminalizing of drugs, I agree wholeheartedly with every word of their conclusion.
Hugs to you both, and “Welcome to the world!”
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Cedars says:
July 9, 2015 at 7:30 am
Hi Steve, though I would not speak on Daniel’s behalf, I think he was referring, not to cocaine, heroine, etc, but to drugs like cannabis (marijuana) which on closer inspection can hardly be classed as a drug at all. Marijuana doesn’t kill people, there is no known lethal dose, and it is abundantly less harmful to society than alcohol. And yet prisons in America are brimming with people whose ‘crime’ was to distribute it. I do understand your sentiments on this score, and I shared them myself until only recently, but it is remarkable what you uncover once you start expanding the remit of a critical mind to multiple aspects of society. The prohibition of marijuana is essentially religiously motivated. Religion doesn’t like competition in the area of experiencing bliss, euphoria and serenity.
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StrongHaiku says:
July 9, 2015 at 10:07 am
Good points, Cedars. I would also add that part of the stigma of Marijuana/Cannabis, in the U.S. anyway, has to do with a long-standing political stance on it being classified as a Schedule I drug (which includes Heroin, LSD, etc.). Historically, it was President Nixon in the 1970’s that pushed on classifying it as such despite all scientific and medical evidence. Historical records showed that his main motivation was purely personal as he associated the use of Marijuana with “radical demonstrators”, which he was trying to squelch.
This is similar to how the U.S. government associated atheism with communism in the 1950’s to push a theistic agenda and proceeded to add God in the pledge of allegiance, etc. Once they did, they made belief in God intricately associated with being an American. But that’s another discussion for another time…
In any case, based on all available facts and studies it is a useful substance and has an innumerable number of benefits. Like all things, best in moderation but definitely better than many things that are legal (e.g. alcohol).
Oh, and for full disclosure, I live in Colorado where it is perfectly legal. There are more Marijuana Shops that Starbucks. It’s all good.
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Maria says:
July 10, 2015 at 5:53 am
Keep in mind that decriminalization does not mean legalisation. Decriminalization only means that you can’t be put in prison for possessing small amounts of drugs for personal use. The drugs are still illigal and you may have to pay a fine instead.
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anonymous says:
July 10, 2015 at 6:50 am
And to add to Maria’s comment, it still goes down on a person’s arrest record, making it harder to get a job, thus so many having been arrested or fined for possession of pot, being out of work and having to rely on the state for food and rent.
One time when I was in service, I brought up the topic of not arresting people and putting them in prison for possession of pot since it because in the end makes it so hard for these people to get work, even if they haven’t been put in prison for being caught with marijuana and even those in the car group had to agree with me.
Nobody in their right mind, can think that throwing people in prison for smoking pot and giving them a criminal record makes any sense and it doesn’t keep people from doing it anyway and it isn’t any more dangerous to smoke than cigarettes.
A few years ago, one of our elders was fighting cancer and going through chemo and I brought up medical marijuana and told him about it as it makes going through chemo so much easier and they can eat etc. and he listened to me as he was being made so sick by chemo. I told him that you can eat it in food and yes it’s a feel good drug but what is the difference between that feel good drug and any other prescription drug with cocaine or heroin in it. They are more addicting than marijuana and doctors prescribe them for pain. Why not marijuana which is less dangerous to use. He had to agree with me.
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Daniel Genser says:
July 10, 2015 at 7:12 pm
I think many drugs should be completely legalized and regulated. There are some that are truly vile, but, at the very last, we should be treating abuse as a health issue, not a criminal issue.
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ScotWm says:
July 9, 2015 at 8:02 am
Daniel Genser wrote, “I decided to stop going to meetings because my beliefs and values no longer align with the official policies of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society and their affiliate corporations.”
Witnesses are told that the laws of God do not change. I’m sure there are many more JWs who are finding it very difficult to keep their sights aligned with the continually-changing doctrines and policies of the Watchtower organization.
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Imacountrygirl says:
July 9, 2015 at 8:13 am
Thank you for this article!
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Jess says:
July 9, 2015 at 8:36 am
Wow what a well written article.
More and more people are leaving thanks to crazy rants from GB members. Please keep the ridiculous broadcasts coming!
I
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Arlis Scott says:
July 9, 2015 at 8:48 am
Daniel and Devon, “Welcome to the world of Humanity!” “Welcome to Freedom!”
The only good thing that I got out of being raised as a witness was not to judge anyone. I used that as my belief in giving people a chance to be the best that they could be. When the organization went against that belief I knew it wasn’t right. They are not what they claim to be. When you get to the point in life that you don’t even recognize your own brother or sister,who is not a witness and disfellowshipped, something is definitely not right. This was a turning point for me in leaving. But as you know leaving your witness family is one of the hardest part of starting over. Your door maybe open to them, but chances are they will never use it unless they also come to the same conclusion, that being a Jehovah’s Witness is wrong.
I never went into any scripture or belief that they were wrong, except that the thought of Jehovah and his angels killing over 7 billion people and then not letting those who died have any chance of starting over in a resurrection, and then the thought of myself and what I did or not do effect the life of one of those lost, blood guilt! No amount of reasoning can make that right! Having the world on your shoulders is really hard to do. Scriptures can be turned into whatever you want them to mean if you have the thought of controlling people. Doesn’t make it right!
Enjoy your freedom, it has been hard fought for by countless people! Love dearly what you wrote!
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Paul Sear says:
July 9, 2015 at 9:46 am
I have found that people who are homophobic views have muted same sex desires. Interesting about the tight pants thing, to even come up with such a thought worries me as to where he got the idea from. Peraps in his own mind.
Shame satan put the new hq on a contaminated site or is the real god trying to nobble the JW Bystanders
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coverspiff says:
July 9, 2015 at 10:22 am
Also, I’m not surprised in the least when he says of JW Broadcasting:
“Having the opportunity to see and examine Governing Body members in the flesh on a regular basis would have a huge impact on me in the following months.”
I would like to concur that seeing these idiots broadcasting their craziness across the internet accelerated my awakening like a shot of radioactive espresso as well. In creating JW Broadcasting, the GB truly have loaded up an Uzi and pointed it cheerfully at their own feet. Even my devout JW parents have commented they they’re “not fond” of Steven Lett.
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john says:
July 9, 2015 at 12:18 pm
Black Sabbath under the sun.
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Mikeinkona says:
July 9, 2015 at 12:45 pm
Amazingly well written story. Everyone…please post this article to your Facebook pages.
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john says:
July 9, 2015 at 1:06 pm
I’m an English man in new york
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anonymous says:
July 9, 2015 at 5:55 pm
Most of us that leave the JW religion can’t move away like Daniel and Devon did. Most of us have to live in the same community and either hide in our homes or run the chance of meeting our former friends from the Kingdom Hall when we are out and about. I am one of those people.
Today when I went to the grocery store, one of the elder’s wives who I was good friends with for over 40 years had run into the store and as she passed me, I said hi to her an she smiled and said hi to me too and kept going. I am sure she was just as uncomfortable in running into me as I was uncomfortable running into her. That is how I feel every time I leave the house. I wonder if there is a car group driving past me and what they are saying about me and why I left. I feel uncomfortable every time I go out of the house. I hate that feeling but no matter how much I hate being in this position, I will not go back to the Kingdom Hall for anything once I found out what a sham religion it is.
I am so happy for those who can move away like Daniel and Devon. That is the best way to escape that cult if you can do it.
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Gameisover says:
July 11, 2015 at 12:06 am
I have the same situation. I live in a place where everyone knows me and used to love me.
I meet them left and right. I realize how uncomfortable they feel by their fake smiles but I view them in a different way. The way I used to view Bible studies. People that need to be liberated because they are rotting in a prison cell with no windows.They have been denied all the happiness and beauty this world can bring. So I greet them cheerfully, warmly and I think they can FEEL how much I care for them. Several have already left and are grateful. Dear anonymous, try this new way of looking at things. Everyone secretly longs to be happy, to be free, no matter how brainwashed they are.
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anonymous says:
July 11, 2015 at 6:06 am
@Gameisover, I so desperately want to go over to their houses (the ones that I can trust) and tell them the whole truth but I am so scared to do to do it.
So many of them, I think are depressed because of the demands of the Watchtower. The young woman that is the mother of the girl I studied with (hates it) told me that if I really loved them, I’d tell them the truth about the “truth” but the only thing is though, is that since she didn’t get involved strongly like most are, she doesn’t understand the uphill climb that it takes to get through to them and in the meantime, we have to realize that they probably think we are demonized.
Believe me when I say that I do want to so much tell them what a trap they are in and to get out but I don’t know how to do it. I know how I was and I thought it was the truth too and that Satan was out to get us away so we’d all die at Armageddon. I thought the Society was run by God and I thought that right up until about a year ago and even then, it took me several months of intense research before I realized what a sham it was and that I had wasted my entire life on a sham.
That is what makes it so difficult to warn them is that when it sets in that we have been taken advantage of by a very clever organization, we were hurt, angry and depressed because it is then that we realize that we have wasted all our life on it and we can’t get that time back. They might be like me and even lose faith in the resurrection hope which is really depressing too.
It is such a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you are freed of the emotional blackmail of having the deaths of all your neighbors and relatives not in the “truth” on your head because you didn’t preach to them when you think you should have and then when they die at Armageddon you will feel like it’s your fault or else you will be afraid God is going to kill you at Armageddon because you didn’t preach to them every time you could have etc.
It is such a double-edged sword because when you realize it’s all a scam, you don’t feel guilty about not having to sit through all those boring meetings and having to go to assemblies and out in service anymore too and that’s like getting out of prison when you are free to live your life and enjoy your free time doing things you always wanted to do but didn’t have time.
It is so very complicated to be in our situations. What I keep hoping for is that the great “majority” wake up and stop supporting it and it dies.
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Grace says:
July 9, 2015 at 7:44 pm
Anonymous, you just described my life. I often wondered how many ex-jw’s are walking around like me not wanting to be noticed. I remember an elder saying out in field service one day a few years back that they could form 2 more congregations of ex’s/inactive ones in our territory.
It frustrates me that I let these people make my world so small. I have to really mentally prepare myself sometimes when I go out so that if I do run into someone, I will hold myself & smile & be friendly because I don’t want to be self-righteous like they are.
As for the article, I love the fact that he addresses each of the doubts that he has. Most of us have had it whirling around our heads like a washing machine but we were too afraid to address each one thoroughly while we were in. It takes so long to do it because the emotional upheaval that takes first place & dealing with that seemed to be priority for me, at least.
I went through almost a post-traumatic state for a few months, crying at the drop of a hat over my daughter. Reliving the day she died until I finally was able to come to terms with what I had put aside 20 years ago when she died. I basically had to go through the grieving process this last year & half all over again because my mind had put the fantasy of the new system in place to deal with it.
Now, I can say that facing those flashbacks & allowing myself to cry has made me stronger. I can only say to others that are new out…Don’t be afraid of your emotions & let yourself cry until it’s out of your system because it is a form of grief & the body has emotions & tears for a reason.
Love to all.
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anonymous says:
July 10, 2015 at 3:44 am
@Grace, what you were saying about the grief of realizing we won’t see our dead loved ones is the worst part of my process of letting go of the JW religion too. Even though I had doubts about Armageddon for a long time, I still clung to the hope of seeing my parents and aunts and uncles and grandparents in the resurrection and the hope that my children wouldn’t face death.
So much, I want to tell my former “friends” from the hall that they should enjoy their precious lives now instead of wasting them away trying to please men of the Watchtower but I can’t say anything to them. I have to let them think the worst of me and go on with my own life. I have tried with my son and oldest daughter but they refuse to listen and so I have to let them find out on their own.
Over the week-end a really wonderful man from my first congregation died from loss of blood during a routine operation and another two really nice people from my first congregation are dying, one from leukemia and the other from cancer. A couple months ago another really good friend from my oldest daughter’s congregation died from cancer. It seems that these older people that I first knew when I was snared into the religion are dying like flies now that I am old too and we were all promised that Armageddon was coming in 1975 when we were all young and we believed the lie.
Every single person that I knew then when I was young that were 30 or 40 then are now dead or in the 90’s if they have lived that long. We were all fooled into believing the lie, just like Eve was fooled by the devil.
It’s the same devilish lie and it’s fooling people every day in all religions. Every day, JW people are still believing the lie and giving up their lives that they could enjoy right now but they are wasting it away on a man made religion. It is so easy to fool people if you can make them believe that the Bible is from God because facing the fact of our death is so hard to deal with and nobody wants to die or see their loved ones die.
The only difference between the JW religion and other religions is that other religions teach that if you follow it’s teachings, they will go to heaven to be with their dead loved ones. The Watchtower takes it one step further and promises it’s followers that they won’t even die, which is the same words the Devil used when it tricked Eve.
The Watchtower’s lie is crueler than the other religions because followers of the Watchtower are taught that they should not even enjoy their life right now but have to wait to enjoy life in the new world and spend every minute working for the Watchtower. They use emotional blackmail into making followers think that every person that they don’t convert to the JW religion is going to be killed at Armageddon. At least other so-called Christian religions don’t use emotional blackmail on their followers the way the Society does. They don’t resort to emotional blackmail to make them preach and they don’t use the emotional blackmail of disfellowshipping them if they don’t keep doing it and decide to quit.
All religions fool their followers into believing they won’t die and if they believe it themselves, they can convince others they won’t die too. It happened to me and I thought I was smarter than that.
There was a lot of truth in the Bible when Jesus said that many people would perform all these things in his name but they never knew him.
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JJ says:
July 10, 2015 at 6:50 am
Grace and Anonymous, both of your comments have touched me.
Grace, I remember my Pharisitical father-in-law saying the very same thing about his territory; if all the inactive ones came back to the Kindom Hall then they could form another congregation. It did go through my brain at the time, why all of these people stopped attending the JW meetings. They were disillusioned of course, with the lies and the problems in the congregations.
Yes, the JW’s make the world small for you when you leave! They act most unChristian and if they are in a group, they do their best to make you feel like a piece of dog-poop to be avoided.
When you don’t believe that you will never grow old or die, of that all of your loved ones will live forever, you do yourself a great diservice. As distasteful as it is, you might as well prepare yourself for the inevitable.
Anonymous, I often wonder at all of the old people in the congregations now. Like you said, “they are all dying like flies”. I remember when these elderly people were the young to middle aged JW’s that were ‘running the show’, giving the pompous talks and hunting down the ‘sinners’ to administer harsh discipline. I wonder what goes through their minds as they sit there, old, decrepit and broke. I guess they can’t leave or get too bitter or they will lose out on their funeral and the announcement of how “faithful” they were for their whole lives.
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anonymous says:
July 10, 2015 at 7:11 am
@JJ and the saddest thing about the resurrection hope is that when Witnesses are wasting their lives trying to convert strangers, their own families and former friends are dying off too and once they are gone, they are gone. We won’t have a chance in the new world to make up for all the lost time that we did not spend with them now.
If we hadn’t spent all that time trying to convert strangers, we would have had more time for our parents and brothers and sisters.
The saddest of all is those who are wasting their lives away trying to convert strangers and at the same time, shunning their own brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers and sons and daughters. When those people who are shunning are old and on their death beds, those that they had shunned all their lives are nothing to them, even their own children. That is the worst of all. Those people will have given up their families for a religious fantasy.
Now that my parents are gone, I’d give anything to explain to them why I didn’t have more time for them but it isn’t going to happen. I won’t have a chance in the “resurrection” to explain it to them and it about kills me.
I’d give anything to go back and know then what I know now but all we can do is try and help those still trapped in the religion to make the most of every day and cherish every day we have with our parents and children and not let a day go by without telling them that. Once they are dead and gone, we won’t get another chance like the Watchtower would like us to believe.
The Watchtower wants to stand in the way of family relations by putting itself above our families by making us believe that the Watchtower was appointed by God.
The Watchtower was never appointed by God and has no right to come between families.
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Finn Sawyer says:
July 11, 2015 at 1:17 pm
@anonymous: “Over the week-end a really wonderful man from my first congregation died from loss of blood during a routine operation”
I’m sorry to hear about the deaths and sickness of your friends. I am collecting articles about those who have died from refusing blood transfusions. Is there an article on the web or in a paper that you can share about your late friend?
Thanks.
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miker tower says:
July 9, 2015 at 8:37 pm
Can I translate it to Spanish? And make it available in our Spanish channels?
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Kat says:
July 10, 2015 at 2:05 am
I thought Daniel was spot on with his words here.
“They are just men. Men who are captive to the most dangerous concept of all — that they are chosen by God.”
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Insearchforchristianfreedom says:
July 10, 2015 at 8:40 am
Even if this God that we all once served at one point does exist. I believe what Raymomd Franz felt. Gods existence is still possible but the use of a central organization cannot make sense. It only cause more dilusions and divisions. If there exist a divine being that is aware of this destructive cult corporation whatever you want to call it.. I believe that oneday the almighty himself will destroy it. Or it will destroy itself because of what’s happening. But time will tell. At the mean time we all have recover and move one.
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Itfeelsgoodtobefree says:
July 10, 2015 at 9:32 am
Absolutely brilliant article! I have to take time to re-read. All the best to Devon and Daniel <3<3
It gives me hope to see many people waking up so recently. I'm working on my mother these days, saying a few things here and there and picking her curiosity. The other day she started the conversation herself and said something like: Our family has been ruined by the JWs… I thought I was hearing things (lol). You just never know…
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Grace says:
July 10, 2015 at 2:17 pm
Itfeelsgoodtobefree, That is a BIG sign. I said that very same thing to my husband when I started to wake up because I had pushed my worldly family away for the cult family.
Just make sure that you are gentle with your reasoning with her. She will become very fragile when she the penny does drop.
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Exhausted says:
July 10, 2015 at 12:29 pm
I must join in on this. My mother died when I was only
In my mid twenties. She was a very zealous person, full
Of love and compassion towards all. However, after she
Became divorced from my father, who was a cheater, etc
She became responsible for four children who were teens
And up. her stress was too much, even though she was
Mother of very good, helpful kids. I loved her and respected her with all my heart as did my brother and
Sister.
With that, I. Remember these self righteous sisters coming over and critizing her because her hours and meeting attendance was faultering somewhat. ?????
really??? They had worldly husbands who took care of
Them and had no worries. Did I mention that she was
Gorgeous and half of them were so jealous they couldn’t
See straight??? Mom woke up to a lot of things even then.
One sister who actually studied with her had a bi-racial
Kid who is grown now and it’s just obvious he isn’t white.
She even took mom out to clubs where this guy performed
And she more than knew what went on. This sis also
Would get up at circuit assemblies in her pink furs and
Brag about how she brought in entire congregations (by
Numbers) into the truth. Now excuse me while I go
Puke. I always thought Jehovah called his sheep.
Reply
Bad Penny says:
July 10, 2015 at 5:46 pm
anonymous –
I really like your posts, you say so much about how many of us feel.
I became a JW from the ‘world’. My fleshly family, although against it, lovingly put up with my ‘religious mania’.
My sadness is, now that ‘I am out’, I cannot apologise to my mother and two brothers for the grief I caused them as they died whilst I was a witness.
Although I no longer believe Watchtower lies I have not lost my faith in Jesus Christ. Why should I let evil men take away that love. Jesus himself promised that the resurrection would take place. OK, we don’t know when, but I prefer to believe it will happen one day.
There is much evil manifest in this world, especially when it comes to religious fanaticism, in all its forms.
I can only hope that there will be a balancing factor of ‘good’ eventually conquering that evil.
Reply
Kat says:
July 10, 2015 at 9:50 pm
all these posts are so sad yet encouraging. Many years wasted preaching to others while ignoring our loved ones, family that were not JW, but tolerated our beliefs, the WT says that worldly families are dangerous and abusive towards JW, I disagree, my family tolerated and always were loving and although did not hold any of my beliefs would listen to me as I ranted on about the kingdom hope, the resurrection.
When my mom was sick and dying of cancer the elders said she has the resurrection hope, put all your effort into preaching more, this will sustain you, if you draw back you may never see your mother again.
I regret not spending more time with my mother, and just saying well she will be resurrected better she died before Armageddon where she would have been destroyed as she was in a privileged position having family as JW and had the chance of changing.
Now that I look back I have so many regrets, and I see the cruelty and judgmental bias of this org, its unloving.
Spend as much time as you can with your loved ones, its now that what counts, if we can’t love our own then what hope is there.
We cant turn back the clock. But we can now help others and make a difference so they don’t have to go through what we did, and in turn hurt the very ones we now are sorry we listened to this controlling unbalanced and delusional men.
Reply
Bad Penny says:
July 10, 2015 at 11:02 pm
anonymous and Kat
On the point of not wanting to bump into JWs. I don’t care anymore. I hold my head up high, knowing that I stood up for truth. If they prefer to believe lies its their prerogative. My conscience is clear. Don’t let the b……s grind you down!
Reply
Kat says:
July 11, 2015 at 2:28 am
Bad Penny what you say is true, standing up for truth has its repercussions with the org, as sad as they are still one can know that they have stood by truth. Thanks
Reply
anonymous says:
July 11, 2015 at 2:59 am
@Bad Penny and Kat, thanks for the encouragement. I feel the same as you do because I know that we are the ones that know the real truth and the ones from the Hall are wasting their lives on nothing but as much as I know that and pity those people now, I still feel a little uncomfortable every time I walk out of the house but I do hold my head up high.
The best way we can “help” our former “friends” is to let them know that we aren’t walking around in a blue “funk”.
When I first left, my cousin emailed me and suggested I was “isolating” myself and I emailed her back and told her I wasn’t “isolating” myself.
That is what they think. They think that when we leave we are depressed and laying in bed all day long or something. That is what the Watchtower has programmed them into thinking is what happens when you walk away and it couldn’t be further from the truth. I am happier now than I have been in 50 years.
Reply
Wanderer says:
July 11, 2015 at 6:29 am
The JWs are told they are Gods happy people, seriously if an independent study were made I would not be surprised that there is more depression and anti-depressants being used by JWs than the general population. In my old Kingdom hall and those around, were full of depression and people who suffered from high levels of anxiety.
Reply
JJ says:
July 11, 2015 at 7:30 am
I forget where I heard or read it, and from what source, but I remember learning that you cannot keep people living on Red Alert. People cannot sustain that kind of vigilance, expectation or fear for very long. You must let them ‘come down’ and normalize.
The JW/GB makes it there #1 priority to keep their followers on Red Alert every minute of the day, every day of their lives. (I am convinced many of the more stern jerks in that Organziation do not believe it so they can manage just fine by simply pretending that they expect The End of the System or that Jehovah is watching/judging them). The rest of the people are stressed out, totally anxious that they have a secret sin, that they’ve screwed up somehow or maybe not done enough to help others or their family. Hence the need for antidepressants or some drug to level off at the end of the day. Or if they don’t feel the joy they are told that they have they must use pharmaceuticals to get that happiness.
They are a miserable bunch aren’t they?!?
My wife is at the Convention today and she asked me not to come. She said that she needs to go and get some of her joy back, hinting that because I don’t believe that garbage I’m responsible for the way sherman feels. Nice, eh?
Reply
JJ says:
July 11, 2015 at 7:39 am
Don’t know where that word ‘sherman’ came from. Silly autocorrect!
It was just supposed to be ‘she’.
Ted says:
July 11, 2015 at 7:30 am
Daniel had many nagging doubts, while still carrying on in
the religion. I think this is the case for many of us, but we push
such thoughts to the back of our mind. Still being in the grip of
the monolithic org.
The Genocide in the Bible was an issue that kept resurfacing
for me. The WT, rationalisation, that the people were immoral
and we’re polluting the land, seemed weak to me.
What could be more immoral than armed warriors slaughtering
every living thing, including unarmed women and babies?
I had to agree with a comment in our local newspaper. That,
“Such things happening today, would be classed as. War crimes”.
Another puzzling question to me, was. The Origin of Evil.
God we were told was omnibenevolent, ( Good in the absolute
sense,) Also, originally he was alone in the universe, so evil did
not exist. Then he started creating other beings, with the
potential to do evil. So the concept of evil could only have come
from God. Being omniscient, he would be aware of the pain and
distress that evil would bring, to the living, feeling, creatures that
he had made. Evil from a source of absolute goodness, was very
hard to reconcile!
Despite some misgivings, I kept on for 24 years. The last straw
came in 1982 at a WT, study, where they said, we were not
allowed to question the F&DS. In other words thinking was not
necessary, it would be done for us.
Daniel says “Research, Research, Research.! It requires effort
but pays off in enabling us to separate “Fact from Fantasy”,
and break free from mind control.
Reply
anonymous says:
July 11, 2015 at 11:58 am
@Ted, I always thought about evil too. My thinking was that according to the book of James, anyone can sin if they think about it long enough and of course the perfect angels “sinned” so what was to say that if Adam and Eve hadn’t eaten of that fruit, that they might have sinned some other way. Why was the only way they could sin was to eat the fruit? What about if Adam had beat on Eve or killed Eve? What about if he had been cruel to his kids or the animals? Why was the only “sin” that they could do was to eat some fruit? I forget where it was but it was in Watchtower publications that God first waited to see if any animals would be a mate for Adam but when he saw that no animal would be a suitable mate, then he made Eve. So, then why would having sex be a sin if God hadn’t made up his mind yet when he made Adam?
Then what about their offspring? What makes us think that they wouldn’t have sinned even if Adam and Eve hadn’t? What makes JW’s think that once they make it into the “new world” that they wouldn’t sin? They think that because Satan wouldn’t be around that they wouldn’t be prone to sin but Satan and all those angels with him sinned and he and all those angels were also created perfect, as was Adam and Eve.
All the years I was in the “truth” those thoughts went through my mind and I kept pushing them away but in the back of my mind, it never did make sense to me.
Reply
Finn Sawyer says:
July 11, 2015 at 1:33 pm
Ted:
About the biblical stories of genocide and mass murder in the name of Jehovah: We are indoctrinated as infants into believing that is what is good in God’s eyes. For me, it all started with the “My Book of Bible Stories.” Also, some may not remember this but the WTS also had a collection of cassette tapes for children that were dramatized narrations of bible story accounts, including those stories where people were dying at Jehovah’s hand. Like many JW children I suspect, I basically memorized the “My Book of Bible Stories” and I could recite the cassette tapes word-for-word. For several of my most impressionable years I went to bed every night with those tapes playing in the background. I can still hear Miriam–Aaron’s wife–scream when she was struck with leprosy. I used to entertain my parents on long car trips with my re-enactments and imitations of the various voices–some of which were screaming as they were being tormented in the stories. Looking back on all that is truly surreal.
My point is, born-in JWs may not think about the genocide and other types of violence because we are taught from infancy that it was righteous. This understanding makes it easier to then accept that all those who are not JWs will die by Jehovah’s hand in the future. However, if you are a JW parent that is “un-plugged” (thanks Cedars for the term) the WTS literature for children really stands out in stark contrast to other children’s stories that are simply wholesome and innocent. That small detail is one of the many things that prevented me from indoctrinating my children–I could not in good conscience read bible stories to them that glorified and praised violent acts of genocide.
Reply
Fatchance says:
July 13, 2015 at 11:59 am
You should see the new videos they’re coming out with. The word melodramatic comes to mind but maybe I’m being to nice.
Reply
Little Sis says:
July 11, 2015 at 10:45 am
Cedars,
This was a great post… I just read his story. It’s incredible. It saddens me that some of us are so pushed into a corner with our beliefs that once we come out of the org we decide to not believe anything for a time. Glad he and his wife are happy. And I’m glad all you other guys and gals who make it out are finding happiness wherever or whatever it may be. I’m still working on my research and figuring out with my husband who is an “unbelieving mate” what my best strategy is…. Good luck to you all…
Reply
Ted says:
July 11, 2015 at 3:02 pm
@Anonymous, ” What makes JW’s think that once they make it into the “new world” that they wouldn’t sin?”
That’s a very interesting question. WT, 00, 4/15, carries an article entitled.
“The New World, Will You Be There”. The article is based on Isa 65, and
Rev, 21, It concedes that there may be rebels in the new world, but says
“They will not be allowed to live to disturb the tranquility”. Then on the very
same page, they cite Rev 21: 1-5, that says “Death will be no more”.
So we extrapolate from that, that people will still have free will, and
can choose to steal, rape, or kill. The Earth too has to be filled with more
millions, to fulfil God’s original plan. So much more than the odd rebel
is more than likely. It’s all so contradictory and unbelievable !
Reply
anonymous says:
July 12, 2015 at 3:18 am
@Ted, I remember the Society has taught that for as long as I can remember that those who sin in the “new world” will be done away with but it doesn’t add up with Rev. 20:7-15 where it describes a 2nd Armageddon after Satan has been abyssed for 1,000 years and he’s let out of the abyss and he goes again to mislead the “nations” and all those that follow him will be thrown into the lake of fire. So, if all these people end up following Satan again, why aren’t they all just killed off before the 2nd Armageddon? And how long would these people that follow Satan again, be allowed to be misled before being burnt with the fire that comes down from heaven to kill them? Here it doesn’t say in the 2nd Armageddon that Jesus/Michael and his angels are going to kill them, but it’s going to be fire from heaven.
When I was a Witness, I never gave any of those scriptures a 2nd thought. How dumb was I???? I should have figured it out a long time ago, but I listened to that nonsense for 50 years but it took Youtube videos and jwsurvey and jwfacts to make me come to my senses but it’s better to learn late than not learn at all. That’s my motto.
Reply
PaPa D says:
July 11, 2015 at 4:02 pm
How many times
Can they fill me with lies
And I listen again
Twisting the truth
And they’re playin’ around with my head, O.K.
The things they will do and the things they will say
But they don’t really understand
Tears fill my eyes when I hear all the cries
For the reason today
And they don’t really know even what they’re talkin’ about
And I can’t image what empty heads can achieve
Leave me alone, don’t want your promises no more
‘Cos rock & roll is my religion and my law
Won’t ever change, may think it’s strange
You can’t kill rock & roll, it’s here to stay
Reply
Ted says:
July 11, 2015 at 4:38 pm
Hi Finn, I agree with you. The way the org, teaches the Bible,
( Using it like a blunt instrument to cow people into compliance,)
is not wholesome for impressionable children. In fact it disturbs
many adults.
Thomas Paine said. “Any system of religion that has anything in
it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true”.
A man I studied with cancelled any further lessons, when we got
to a part containing a picture of Abraham, arm raised with a knife
in it, ready to kill Isaac. He said, “That’s not from God, it’s from
men”, then he added, “I wouldn’t let my son see that”.
My own little daughter, now aged 57 but when about 5 or 6,
if she fell out with other kids in the street , would shout to them,
“You’ll get destroyed at Armageddon” it definitely did not help
neighbourly harmony. Oh for the benefit of hindsight eh.
Reply
Ted says:
July 12, 2015 at 5:10 am
Anonymous.
If all JWs, would scrutinise WT, publications and the Bible,
and apply logic the way that you do. The org, would be
out of business in no time. Thanks for all your,
“Research, Research, Research.”
Reply
anonymous says:
July 12, 2015 at 3:29 pm
@Ted, thank you.
Reply
insearch4christianfreedom says:
July 12, 2015 at 6:00 am
I served as a regular pioneer for 5years the became a Ministerial servant at 18 i served in a isolated island here its a US territory. I did a public talk every month eventually i burned out. Then i decided to give the bethel here a try. It even killed me until i was depressed. I am the last of my family left. Everyelse left, my mother dissassciated herself. But i was wondering all of us here regardless of being Atheist or believer in Christ. have so much gifts and talents like Daniel did. Isn’t there any way we as faders and help take down the borg.??? Does any one have suggestions???
Reply
Daniel says:
July 12, 2015 at 12:30 pm
That was an amazing article and I enjoyed reading it very much. Thank you Cedar.
Reply
Mc fan says:
July 13, 2015 at 2:38 am
Finn,
Check out a book titled:
Jehovah’s Witnesses hide a tragedy worse than Waco.
Reply
Fatchance says:
July 13, 2015 at 11:53 am
I wish I knew Daniel. I’m trying to become a software developer myself. It’s hard to make the right business connections when you lack the social skills to do so.
Reply
Bad Penny says:
July 13, 2015 at 3:33 pm
Daniel – Just finished reading your story. Your research is excellent!
I too, when I first started to wake up, and before I read any other 607 research, decided to embark on this for myself, I had to know the truth. It took me many hours of extensive research to find the answers, but I’m so glad that I did it. I was like a dog with a bone, I could not leave it alone. The way the Society has manipulated all the relevant dates in that time period to fit in with 607 is truly amazing. The Insight books are full of misleading dates which have been so well integrated into the commentary they become believable!
My research came from the standpoint that the Bible chronology was true and therefore if we use the correct date for the destruction of Jerusalem, 586 BCE, everything should fit in to God’s timetable perfectly.
I eventually managed to reconcile both 70 years of exile and 70 years of desolation to fit both scripture and history. No controversy, no argument. Six pages of typing later …I now understood why everything was written down in such detail, so that we could indeed find the truth. This of course meant that my ‘faith’ in the GB as God’s chosen channel, evaporated.
The realisation that I had been duped took its toll in many ways, it was like losing someone in death. Everything I had believed and trusted was now in doubt.
I have now researched so many things that I too feel I could write a book! Maybe I will one day.
Reply
Everyday Explorer says:
July 14, 2015 at 6:45 am
Well done to Daniel and Devon Genser. Brave article, brilliant read. Enjoy your new-found scintillating, sometimes-tremulous freedom!
Thanks to Lloyd for bringing Daniel’s inspirational article to our attention here.
Reply
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The must-read story of a ministerial servant and his wife who woke up in the last few months
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Posted on July 9, 2015
daniel-genser
Daniel and Devon Genser are now enjoying their freedom after facing some huge dilemmas over the past few months
I will never forget the feeling of liberation I felt in November 2013 when I published the story of my awakening on JWsurvey, thus revealing my identity for anyone who knew me.
I knew the article would eventuate in my disassociation from the organization. In fact it took only two months for the inevitable phonecall from my congregation coordinator. But regardless of the ramifications, being open and honest about my authentic identity was absolutely the right decision – a decision I would make again and again if necessary.
It was with feelings of nostalgia for my own “outing” that I devoured the article published a few hours ago by Daniel Genser, only recently a ministerial servant in the North-Western corner of America. The article is titled “What I Believe to Be True – and How I Have Come to Believe It,” and I would urge all JWsurvey subscribers to read a superb treatise that brims with love, empathy, humanity, and above all, intellectual honesty.
What I Believe to Be True – and How I Have Come to Believe It
By Daniel Genser
I don’t want to rehash Daniel’s story because I want you to read it yourself, and I don’t think I could possibly do it justice. But it’s worth acknowledging how incredibly recently the events described in the above article transpired.
Daniel writes of still struggling to reconcile doubts over his faith as recently as the 2014 Annual Meeting at which JW Broadcasting was announced, and the now-notorious 2014 United States branch visit at which Tony Morris unleashed his ‘wisdom’ about certain types of clothing to 1 million bewildered American Witnesses.
Fast forward only a few months, and Daniel and his wife Devon find themselves in a remote part of Italy, completely free from their Witness indoctrination and, amazingly, with their relationship in tact having awoken simultaneously.
The journey of how they reached this realization, the insurmountable problems with Watchtower dogma they wrestled with, and the dilemmas they faced are all superbly and eloquently documented in Daniel’s article, which is why I feel it is so deserving of everyone’s attention.
Daniel’s thoughts on shunning are insightful and thought-provoking, and his writing on the 607 BCE controversy is one of the best concise treatments on this complicated subject I have ever read.
Apart from anything else, it is extremely heartening to see how quickly Jehovah’s Witnesses can shed their mindless loyalty to the Governing Body when they are intellectually honest and conscientious enough. And if that isn’t a happy-ever-after in itself, you have the fact that a husband and wife have pulled off this challenging feat side-by-side.
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74 Responses to The must-read story of a ministerial servant and his wife who woke up in the last few months
← Older Comments
Faded says:
July 14, 2015 at 7:29 am
Amazing. Simply amazing. Thank you for sharing this Lloyd.
Reply
El Chapo Guzman says:
July 14, 2015 at 10:11 pm
This site is just plain awful. Sorry to break it to you.
Reply
anonymous says:
July 15, 2015 at 3:50 am
@El Chapo Guzman, why do you say that? Could you come up with a web site where all current and former JW’s can say how they really feel about the JW religion that they belong to?
All of us are the “silent” majority of the JW religion and have nothing to say about it or where our contributions go. We have nothing to say to the Society that they want to hear. The Society has all the say and we the “silent” majority have no say. The controlling “minority” in New York have all the say but they would have no say if it wasn’t for the “silent” majority out here sending them money every month and donating their time in placing their literature and preparing the talks and donating all their free labor to build all their buildings and donating the money and time in doing all the work at their buildings that the Society owns, which they wouldn’t own if it wasn’t for all that donated time, enerty and money.
Do you feel that we the “silent” majority should just support anything the Society tells us to do and if we don’t go along with it, should be kicked out and shunned?
At what point do we have the right to say “I am not going to take it anymore?” At what point can we draw a line in the sand and say that this religion is a dangerous cult? Do we have to lose a child to refusing blood? Do we not have the right to say that if our child is molested and raped that we can go to the police and turn that person in to the police without retribution from the Society? At what point in our lives can we have control over what we think? At what point can we take control over our minds and think and question our religion without being kicked out and shunned?
Do you really feel that in order to put on the “new personality” that we have to lose our personality and become mindless, numb robots to support an organization that says that God chose it without an shred of evidence to support that concept? Are you allowed to ask how the Society got it’s appointment by God in 1919? If so, I’d like to know the answer.
If you can’t come up with that information, then you are blowing hot air and you need to only go to jw.org. and stay in your bubble.
Reply
Let's get real says:
July 15, 2015 at 2:43 am
El Chapo
Sorry to break it to you, but hundreds would disagree.
You know what to do don’t you?
Reply
Pickle brain says:
July 15, 2015 at 5:39 am
@El Guzzler Chappo. I think I spelt your name right . I think your name is more awful than this website!!
Reply
Pickle brain says:
July 15, 2015 at 7:46 am
& El GUZZLE CHAPPIE! Sorry to break it to you , BUT your comment is AWFUL!!
You are disobeying the 7 HOLY Heavenly Anointed GB members by associating with Apostates on this website . You could be Disfellowshipped for that!!
You are a VERY NAUGHTY ‘EL GUZZLE CHAPPIE!!
Reply
Queen Elsa says:
July 16, 2015 at 2:05 am
Daniel, I noticed you mentioned you are type one? I have a young child with type one…I was at the same convention in Seattle. I sure wish we could communicate somehow… We have more than one thing in common…
Reply
Mike Morris says:
July 17, 2015 at 12:22 am
Excellent article. 607 was the starting point for me too, after reading ‘The Greatness That Was Babylon”, can’t remember the name of the author at the moment. It is just a straightforward history of the Babylonian empire, with no religious axe to grind, and it explains very clearly how the dates for key events are calculated. I think it is still available.
Reply
Mike Morris says:
July 17, 2015 at 12:30 am
HWF Saggs was the author.
Reply
James Broughton says:
July 18, 2015 at 11:13 am
Thank you for publishing Daniel and Devon’s story. We are thrilled that they are enjoying their freedom and wish them every blessing for the future.
Reply
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Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
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Posted on July 17, 2015
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for Watchtower?
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for Watchtower?
For many current and former Jehovah’s Witnesses who find themselves victimized by Watchtower’s cruel cult-like practices, the prospect of witnessing the end of the organization seems too good to be true.
Especially when you have spent many years being sold false promises of extraordinary future events, it’s understandable that you would be wary of getting your hopes up over something as significant as the downfall of the organization that misled you.
I obviously won’t make you any promises, because I have learned to be extremely cautious of wishful thinking in all its forms. But when I look at what is going on with Watchtower, I see an organization falling from grace at a rate faster than I could have ever reasonably envisaged.
The latest evidence of the organization’s free-fall comes in the shape of a letter to all elders in the United States branch territory, dated July 8, 2015. You can read about Watchtower’s new “master plan” yourself, but essentially it adds a further caveat to their smash-and-grab, stealth-tithing maneuvers from last year. (Thanks go to JWleaks.org for first making this letter available.)*
The new letter essentially says to publishers (or doesn’t say to publishers, because it’s an elders-only letter): “Not only are we going to make you promise to send us money every month for maintaining a kingdom hall that isn’t owned by you in any meaningful sense, we are also warning you that we might sell your kingdom hall, pocket the proceeds, and send you to go share someone else’s kingdom hall while STILL taking your money for the kingdom hall we’ve just sold.”
Rather than write an exhaustive summary of the letter, and re-hash points I have already made on this matter from previous articles, I thought I would take a different approach by adding this latest development to my list of 10 reasons why I believe Watchtower COULD be about to implode. Here goes…
1. Jehovah’s Witnesses are becoming a toxic brand
toxic-brand
The internet is more hostile than ever regarding Jehovah’s Witnesses. As the world becomes more aware of the cult phenomenon (thanks in part to the success of documentaries like HBO’s “Going Clear” film about Scientology) journalists are becoming less squeamish when it comes to highlighting the cult-attributes of the organization in newspaper articles and news broadcasts.
Ex-Witnesses have already turned YouTube into a no-go zone for believing Witnesses, and continue to explore ingenious strategies for reaching out to those under Watchtower’s spell. Even non-Witness blogs like Hemant Mehta’s Friendly Atheist are now rallying to the ex-JW cause and becoming increasingly vocal about the organization’s harmful practices. All this means it is harder than ever for Witnesses to find new converts, and easier than ever for Witnesses to wake up.
2. Less “spiritual food” is being printed
spiritual-food
The wafer-thin magazines on the literature carts testify to a huge drop in printed output of 39% for monthly magazine printing since 2005. If God’s one true organization is flourishing, why has it so drastically scaled down on its “spiritual food?” The simple truth is, printing is expensive. VERY expensive. A good gauge of prosperity for any printing organization is its printed output. If a printing company has a problem, it will print less stuff. That is exactly what we have already been seeing for some time with Watchtower.
3. Globally, the organization is in retreat
retreat
Watchtower has been shutting down branches at a rate never before seen, with branch numbers plummeting from 118 in 2009 to just 90 as of last year. The organization used to pride itself on its global footprint, and would herald the dedication of new branches as evidence of God’s backing for the global preaching work. Now Watchtower is in open retreat, using single branches to run the affairs of multiple countries. RTOs, or “Remote Translation Offices” (think of an RTO as a Bethel-lite), are seen as a way of keeping some kind of presence in far-flung territories, but the glory days of Watchtower’s relentless global expansion are fast disappearing in the rear view mirror.
4. The begging has started
begging
For the first time in the organization’s history, the Governing Body openly admitted to a shortfall in needed funds in the May 2015 JW Broadcasting episode. This unprecedented move was made despite Watchtower making 1 Billion from selling off its Brooklyn portfolio ($375 million in one transaction alone), which could indicate the Brooklyn proceeds have already been spent. After all, when there is zero accounting transparency, we have no way of knowing how indebted the organization is. No amount of revenue from property sales will be much use to Watchtower if it is all getting sucked into a bottomless pit of accumulated debt.
5. The stealth tithing has started
tithing
Expect an organization in financial peril to desperately claw around for ways of bringing in more cash from available assets. In Watchtower’s case, they are prevented from demanding money from individual members, because this would be classed as “tithing” – a practice associated with false religion that the organization has condemned since its inception. What Watchtower CAN do is tithe, not individuals, but congregations. This is precisely what the new “Local Design/Construction” arrangement has achieved.
Last year elders were forced to promise a fixed amount to be donated to Watchtower every month from their congregation account, based on (1) what the congregation was already sending for paying off a building/renovation loan, or (2) anonymous slips of paper passed around so that publishers could indicate what they could afford to pledge. Congregations were even told to send any surplus funds squirreled away for a rainy day to Watchtower, leaving just $5,000 plus three months’ worth of regular operating expenses.
Amazingly, the majority of Witnesses continue to be oblivious to what amounts to a smash-and-grab, and are instead under the assumption that Watchtower has mercifully forgiven all kingdom hall building loans.
6. Kingdom hall ‘mergers’ are in store
fuel-in-car
As already mentioned, Watchtower has instructed all United States elders as of July 8, 2015 to be ready for their congregation to be re-assigned to a different kingdom hall if the organization’s new “master plan” deems this necessary. The letter marks the green light for the downsizing we are already seeing at branch level to be soon rolled out at congregation level, and is again clear evidence that Watchtower is desperate to claw in money wherever it can and become a smaller, more financially nimble organization.
The end game would be kingdom hall multiplexes in city-center locations shared by five or more congregations – a far cry from the parochial feel older Witnesses will be accustomed to.
As delightful as it is to think of such a huge regression in the local presence of the organization, you can’t help but feel bad for all those long-standing Witnesses who have donated thousands over the years under the false assumption that they were responsible for their local kingdom hall’s upkeep. Soon, for all their kindness and generosity, such ones may face lengthy and costly car journeys to intimidating, soulless, inconvenient city-center locations allocated to them by Watchtower.
7. Personnel are being jettisoned
kicked-out
Last year district overseers received the unwelcome news that their positions no longer existed, and they were surplus to requirements. Though some will have been demoted down to circuit overseer rank, the majority will have been jettisoned by the organization to fend for themselves – an entire strata of the organization’s hierarchy dissolved, and deemed no longer serviceable or cost-effective.
In a similarly unceremonious manner, workers at branch offices subject to closure by Watchtower have been cast adrift, with years or even decades of loyal service apparently counting for very little in the organization’s quest to make ends meet. The recently-emerged story of a Wallkill bethelite who was virtually thrown out on the street due to “cutbacks” suggests that the organization’s top brass have no qualms when it comes to wielding the axe. Bethelites in Watchtower’s heartland would do well to watch their backs and plan for the worst as the organization looks to slash spending wherever it can.
8. The secret weapons have failed
secret-weapon
Despite all the fanfare and hype, JW.org has been unable to attract internet-savvy non-Witnesses – its main target audience. It is, quite literally, preaching to the converted. The 2015 Yearbook boasted that JW.org received 850,000,000+ total visits in the first two years from Aug 27, 2012 to Aug 31, 2014. This figure sounds impressive until you factor in the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses – 8 million. Assuming every active Witness visits their own website at least once per week, you arrive at only a slightly lower figure of 832,000,000 visits over the two years (8,000,000 x 52 x 2).
And despite succeeding in making the organization more visible, there has been no notable increase in baptisms in the two years since the literature carts (or “metropolitan witnessing”) program was launched. After all, getting literature into someone’s hands won’t stop them going on the internet and fact-checking when they get home. And that’s assuming anyone is interested in approaching the carts to begin with. In this Guardian article, the reporter watched some carts in a busy part of London for an hour, and the only person who approached the Witnesses did so because they needed directions.
9. The child abuse floodgates have opened
flood
As was predicted at the time, there has been a relentless stream of child abuse lawsuits filed against Watchtower since the 2012 Candace Conti verdict. In 2013, a year on from the Conti judgment, lawyer Irwin Zalkin told me he had no less than 11 lawsuits on his books. Though many such lawsuits end up being settled, the success of the Jose Lopez case and the recent victory in London’s High Court have shown that if child abuse victims are willing to dig their heels in and stay the course they can have, not only compensation, but justice served.
All of this doesn’t bode well for an organization already under fire for its cult-like shunning practices and death-dealing prohibitions on blood transfusions. And apart from the atrocious reputation, with well-informed journalists like Trey Bundy spelling out the problems of organizational mishandling in the media, the money for paying off multi-million judgments and out-of-court settlements has to come from somewhere.
Even if the Governing Body sent a long-overdue letter out tomorrow FINALLY telling elders to report all child abuse accusations straight to the police, Watchtower would still have to answer to the backlog of lawsuits from victims who suffered while the two-witness rule was (is) still in place. Such victims may well have only a finite window of opportunity to get ANY money out of Watchtower at all.
10. Watchtower doesn’t have a PR strategy
head-in-sand
You’re an international, faith-based non-profit organization with a toxic brand both on the internet and in the media. Fewer people from wealthy, developed countries with internet are joining you, and thus donations are dwindling. For all the evangelizing and promotional work of your members, a few clicks on Google can completely dismantle your organization’s message. To make matters worse, you have mounting legal costs and settlements to pay for out of an ever-diminishing revenue stream. What you urgently need is a good PR strategy to make it easier to bring in fresh converts (and their donations) – but even here Watchtower is almost comically inept.
The organization’s PR strategy is essentially two-fold: (1) bury your head in the sand and hope your opposers eventually get bored and go away, or (2) refute the claims made by your opposers using outright lies (*cough* Rick Fenton). Both of these methods may help the likes of Tony Morris get to sleep at night in the short-term, but ultimately they are self-defeating. To neutral observers, silence is incriminating when damning allegations are on the table – especially related to harming children. And when you flat out lie about your damaging policies and teachings, you only give critics like me more rope to hang you with.
The only workable strategy Watchtower can pursue at this stage is one of reform, but past experience shows that any form of “compromise” is seen by the Governing Body as capitulation to Satan’s hordes. In short, Watchtower is sinking because its deluded leaders are their own worst enemies.
What does the future hold?
I do not for one moment suggest that we will see an end to Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religion in our lifetimes. The fact that there continues to be such a thing as the bible students, who still cling to Charles Taze Russell and his discredited, outlandish teachings, tells us that religions have amazing survival abilities even when members are deprived of their leadership. Faith, after all, is a product of people’s minds. When enough people believe the same unsubstantiated thing you have a religion, regardless of whether there is a person or organization to lead it.
But while religions are virtually indestructible, corporations are not. Non-profit organizations like Watchtower are just as capable of getting into debt as any other business. And when your bank manager starts bankruptcy proceedings against you because you can no longer service your debts, it’s game over.
The organization's glory days are already behind it
The organization’s glory days are already behind it
Those who suggest Watchtower is too big and successful to go down need only look at the fact that it has already been shrinking since it reached its zenith (in terms of branches and printing operations) some time between 2005 and 2010. Add to that the desperate clawing for cash over the five years since then, and you have the omens of an organizational collapse.
The winds of change have completely overtaken Watchtower in the internet age, and the Governing Body find themselves in a whole different ball game to their predecessors. If things are really as bad as I suspect, Watchtower needs to drastically downscale its operations to, say, a handful of branches and zero printing. In other words, it needs to become like its noisy neighbor Scientology, which despite having only 50,000-or-so members (and an even worse reputation) still has an impressive portfolio of valuable property scattered across the globe and minimal overheads compared to Watchtower.
But any downsizing of that magnitude would send Watchtower into an even more vicious spiral, in which it would start hemorrhaging even the most diehard members. After all, when you have spent decades pointing to your success as evidence of divine backing, how do you explain any sudden, sharp decline?
If Watchtower were to go bankrupt, it could always try claiming that the Great Tribulation has begun and Satan’s minions (their creditors) have started overtly attacking God’s people, but this simply will not wash with more intelligent Witnesses. Whatever is left of the organization (perhaps re-branded to ditch the Watchtower name entirely while retaining the Governing Body at the helm) would have a huge exodus on its hands.
It is precisely because of all the pride at stake that, in my mind, a sudden implosion seems increasingly plausible. Unlike ordinary commercial organizations who have the flexibility to change their size and scope according to the prevailing conditions, “God’s organization” can only be seen by its members to be going in an upwards trajectory for its grandiose claims of divine direction to have any credence. Any noticeable regression would rightly be interpreted as evidence of God’s favor being absent. Thus any problems would be allowed to accumulate behind closed doors until they reach a critical mass.
Of course I could be wrong, but if that is so then Watchtower is doing an awful lot of begging and downsizing for no particular reason, and with far too much to lose by doing so. It could well be that some incredible developments are ahead as Watchtower’s predicament further deteriorates, and the Governing Body slowly discovers that Jehovah isn’t coming to the rescue after all. I had better get on with writing my book while there is still an organization to write about.
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Translations: Spanish | French | Hungarian
Further reading…
◾JWsurvey articles on Watchtower downsizing
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80 Responses to Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
Newer Comments →
Gareth says:
July 17, 2015 at 9:27 am
Haha that last sentence begs the question: would you be happy or unhappy if your book would be obsolete before it being published? 😀 Although I think it would be useful anyway, even if only for history reasons.
Reply
StrongHaiku says:
July 17, 2015 at 9:47 am
Really enjoyed the article, Cedars. You made my day.
You mention the following:
“If Watchtower were to go bankrupt, it could always try claiming that the Great Tribulation has begun and Satan’s minions (their creditors) have started overtly attacking God’s people, but this simply will not wash with more intelligent Witnesses. ”
You make a very good point. Claiming the GT has begun may be one of the few plays they have left, but it is a very dangerous one. If they say the “GT has begun” in order to explain what is going on, this will likely start the clock ticking in the head of some of the members. I sure hope they become desperate enough to put a “stake on the ground” and commit to an event/date.
I cannot see how they can maintain the status quo and remain vague and uncommitted to an event/date forever and recover (let alone grow). Without a clear target people start loosing their sense of urgency, wake up, etc.
If past history is any indication, what I imagine they may do is “imply” that that GT has started without stating overtly to leave themselves plausible deniability (akin to the 1975 fiasco).
Regardless, as an apocalyptic religion, they have a limited number of choices and shelf-life. And, even though many will stay with it past the “expiration date” (like my family), it may wake up at least some.
Reply
Kat says:
July 17, 2015 at 10:06 am
Inspiring!
One can only hope this is the beginning of the end for the WT org and its GB.
Reply
David says:
July 17, 2015 at 10:13 am
I think the WatchTower hasn’t got any economic problem. For managing assets they are masters. They have the best advisers and the american rich JWs pump lots of money in.
They have instead membership problems. I don’t think more people want to give up freedom for a cult with inhuman practices (like shunning).
Lies won’t last forever so one day they have to face reality but it will take time. Cults have a difficult time to realise what they truly are.
Reply
peggy says:
July 19, 2015 at 10:29 am
This is a good point David, maybe not economic problems but, membership problems. Which eventually could spell economic problems. About 4 years ago my congregation was told by the CO to split a perfectly nice large congregation into 2. We went from 150 using the nice large hall to 70 people and extra utility use when they had to open it up for the extra meetings.(I always thought the move was to make the numbers of congregations appear
to be growing when membership is stagnant. I have been gone some 2 years now. And then this letter comes out about putting congregations back together when they are not using the hall to max. I honestly believe something is up. Something is amiss. And it may mean problems. Which GB may hint is a sign of the end.
Reply
Susan says:
July 17, 2015 at 10:21 am
Great article! It’s so exciting to think that this horrible and cruel organization may one day implode! They’d shot themselves in the foot years ago when they strongly discouraged couples from having children – so think of all the ice cream money they weren’t able to extort! I imagine that many more will wake up when they are personally affected with upcoming Kingdom Hall mergers and those who are laid off at Bethel. They will experience first hand just how “loving” their organization is, and discover that JW org would rather risk losing members than losing money. Once again though, they are shooting themselves in the foot as these lost members equal lost revenue and will be another step closer to the organization’s demise.
Reply
airborne says:
July 17, 2015 at 11:09 am
I really enjoyed the article Cedars. My gut says the Watchtower ship is sinking like the Titanic. Of course all the poor Witnesses in Steerage Class are going to get screwed.
Reply
Searcher says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Great analogy! I think they are sinking like the titanic. Not many people believed it was sinking until it was too late to put the lifeboats out fully. Like you said, the poor steerage members of the rank and file will get left holding the bag. History always shows that in many other organization implosions.
Reply
Alone in MD says:
July 17, 2015 at 8:58 pm
I agree with you airborne. Most of the minions are very dedicated, god loving people that don’t know or care about what rules and regulations the GB come up with. My wife is one of the brainwashed minions and can’t point out anything negative about the GB. Very sad situation.
Reply
Dee says:
July 17, 2015 at 11:20 am
Thanks Cedar :) It’s comforting and affords hope to us when all of those points are gathered together like this. There isnt an “increase” in their ranks, and the annual report will be the next thing to go. A decrease in numbers will be explained away with the whole “there will be a cooling off” or “separation of the sheep and goats” or similar damage control responses. I for one appreciate so much what you do.
Reply
Grace Cowie Wilson says:
July 17, 2015 at 12:07 pm
If they decide that the great tribulation has arrived they are then free to start issuing instructions thT might not seem rational from a human viewpoint.
Another thing that intrigues me is the “no show” in the Lopez case leading to a decision for damages in the sum of $13.5 million. Clearly the WTBTSB made a pragmatic decision in this case to pay up on a default judgment against it rather than risk
(i) a precedent setting decision against it that could affect settlement prospects against it in other cases; and/or
(ii) disclosure of damning documents.
The extreme lengths litigation-wise it has gone to (including a very risky strategy which failed) to obstruct the investigation by the UK Charity Commission is also very interesting.
They may have even more to hide than we are currently aware of.
Reply
Itfeelsgoodtobefree says:
July 20, 2015 at 12:46 pm
Very well put Grace! Who knows what else they are trying to sweep under the rug…
Reply
John says:
July 17, 2015 at 12:33 pm
I find it comical that if you want to believe the prophecies in the bible, notably in Revelation, it seems that most of the ‘fulfillments’ that the WTS applied to other religions are now more applicable to them. Keep up the great stream of articles Lloyd. Good reading for a change.
Reply
doda says:
July 18, 2015 at 2:08 pm
Agreed, John! I have been thinking this very thing for quite some time. I also have to agree with the comment about the GT, implications that it is/has started. Oh to be a fly in the car of any car group in the USA and the UK!
Reply
Ken says:
July 17, 2015 at 12:36 pm
First I have talked to ex -witnesses who say that the organization today is unrecognized in its form every one says –
It’s not the same sect I grew up in .. That’s what everyone who left are saying . Most of those who left were of the so called 1914 er generation who grew up back in the 1970 and 1980s saw hundreds baptized at conventions . The decline today is obvious . It’s no getting away from that ,secondly is the constant shifting doctrines , the literature decline only means they don’t have enough educated people to write as they did back in the 1950 – 1970 era because the org was able to mass produce books , and magazines . One has to only hear Anthony Morris anti eduction rant on JW.tv . Obviously the decline is a self inflicted wound. As a teen I saw a prelude of it back during the 1980 s when the first secret elders book came out , along with how people were treated at the Kingdom Hall. The loving so called atmosphere was replaced with judge mental talks from the elders . Things were unraveling then . The future , the only way to save the Watchtower is a revolution from within , removing the entire governing body , and shift the sect back closer to the Adventist movement where it sprang.
Reply
Carlos says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:19 pm
In Buenos Aires the Watchtower administers a huge geriatric complex. Older people sign off their pensions, property, and anything their family may inherit. Then the Watchtower promises to take care of them until they die. Knowing the Watchtower record on fulfilling promises … this is not going to end well. I imagine they will leave the country and stick the old geezers to the care of their congregations after taking everyone to the cleaners. Mark my words!
Reply
Chris says:
July 19, 2015 at 1:15 pm
Do you have any links with info about this?
Reply
Cedars says:
July 19, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Links are in the article. :)
Reply
Carrie Bee says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:33 pm
Fantastic article John!!!
Reply
Searcher says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:43 pm
Good analysis of the situation! As I said a while back, the internet and education are the GB and WTS’s worst enemy. It’s really beginning to take it’s toll on them. Why do you think they are so dead-set against higher education and having their members question what the leadership says?
The “organization” is in a tail spin, retreat, and downsize mode for now. However, don’t think they are going to go anywhere anytime soon. They will regroup as some evidence is shown. The will pull “bunnies out of the magic hat” as Dee has said earlier. There are some loons that will believe their drivel now matter what. Basically, people believe what they want to believe, even if it’s ridiculous paradise earth visions that have no logical substantiation.
Reply
Searcher says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:47 pm
My apologies to anyone that have family members still in. I didn’t think before hitting the send button. “Loons” is not a good term, since these are loved ones to some of you out there. People are to be respected. I don’t want to lower myself to the name calling that the Watchtower has done for so many years. :/
Reply
Bonnie says:
July 18, 2015 at 5:43 am
The people formerly known as MY family who are still in this hateful cult ARE loons. No offense taken here.
Reply
Grace says:
July 17, 2015 at 2:36 pm
This is one of the best articles I have read.
Narcissistic, Psychopaths always find a way to survive. The top end will make sure that they have some strategy to stay afloat. Those that will stick by them will be the vulnerable who aren’t necessarily unintelligent but can’t think of a life outside of the cult.
Reply
yawn says:
July 17, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Really hoping you are right, but in some ways I hope it lingers on. Why? I just think about all the people who would be completely devastated if it ever folds. I managed to get out in my late teens. I can’t imagine what its like for people who are farther on in years and suddenly have their one figurative crutch removed. I don’t know which is worse! I’m some ways I think they deserve it but in others I just feel bad for them. And unfortunately the men benefiting from this scam will never see justice. :(
Reply
J*L*C*R says:
July 17, 2015 at 2:52 pm
“Down, Down, Down, in a burning ring of fire”.
Reply
MYSELF 3.1 says:
July 17, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Dear Cedars,
Thanks for your balanced and well thought article, which got my attention as a run a management consulting firm. Here some observations.
On one side the financial issues are pretty evident, yet JW are once more proving very able to make smart business moves: they are cashing-in and reinvesting in real estate, securing and centralizing ownership of properties, ensuring constant incoming cash flow through what you described as tithing, reducing costs of printing, facility management and human resources.
They also seem to have understood the need for a re branding by pushing the jw.org logo above both Watchtower and the name Jehovah, which incidentally is quite sad because they proud themselves of being better than ancient Jewish who adopted abbreviations and replacements for The Name, and now they are doing pretty much the same hiding The Name behind jw.org… the only difference being that the scribes did it out of reverence, the WT is doing it out of shame. Still, though, a sound marketing move.
Are these good signs or bad signs? Are JW doomed or rather successfully engaging in a new strategy? It depends on what the objective is. If the purpose is to remain in existence and safeguard the comfortable life and annexed ego of few, then they might indeed succeed. This means that we will see more changes and a total re branding of the organization, to the point of making it unrecognizable from what it was. I envisage even a possible change of name, and perhaps the jw.org campaign is a prelude of this. The hard activities will gradually be eliminated, following the trend of reducing pioneering hours, convention days, magazine pages and number of meetings. The junior management will be made happy by taking away the burden of preparing talks, living them free to enjoy their role play as little managers making petty decisions. The meetings will feature just broadcast sessions, which will increase uniformity and further reduce critical skills. To be a JW will involved attending weekly shows, like going to the movies, and enjoy tiny bits of local power and strong social acceptance within the group. Altogether very appealing for right wing bigots, left wing idealist, people seeking the comfort of social acceptance, people without any secular fulfillment enjoying putting on a tie and playing to be a mini-leader, people in need of channeling their unaddressed psychological issues and conspiracy theory style folks that love the cheap elitist of knowing a secret alternative truth.
In my opinion the current organisation looks like the typical company that has good consultants but a structural inability to apply sound advice. Hence, the contradiction between sound business strategies and terrible PR, such as the rambling of the current GB members, the insistence in policies that are a total marketing disaster such as ostracism, blood issue and abuses cover ups. Who will prevail, the business wise component or the inadequacy of the leaders?
I wish to see them imploding but I think that it will take some external help and activism on the part of us former members. We need to expose the brutality of their mind control methods and their dangerousness before they implement a re-branding and before they cleverly take distance from their own history. To flood the Internet with the TATT is just one of many ways required to facilitate the implosion and I am glad to join this forum posting my first comment!
Reply
Ted says:
July 17, 2015 at 4:19 pm
Unpalatable instructions to elders, always include some devious
phrase, to ensure their compliance.
Re- the letter regarding utilising K, Halls. Elders are appealed to
As “Spiritual Men who recognise that the K,Halls belong to JHVH.”
So the not so subtle implication is, as JHVHs Org, we can do what
the hell we like with them.
Reply
SR says:
July 17, 2015 at 4:37 pm
I am going to start saving up for when they auction off Jehovah’s Chariot. I am going to slap an orang triangle on it’s backside and pimp it all over town.
Sadly, no matter what happens there will still be some incapable of accepting they have been tricked. David Koresh still has followers.
Reply
Imacountrygirl says:
July 17, 2015 at 4:38 pm
Great article Cedars!
I have a sort of different take. I don’t think WT is necessarily running out of money, I think they are quietly moving the money around and putting it in safe places/accounts, sort of like squirreling it away. If it’s in a protected account, it can’t be touched by lawsuits. I think they are attempting to get as much money from the pubs as they can while they can. Now that they have taken over ownership of all those KH’s, it would seem WT is about as wealthy as they have ever been, imho.
Reply
John Plummer says:
July 17, 2015 at 4:41 pm
Great article…except such pessimism re the life expectancy of the Watchtower Society. Don’t forget, THE driving force for ordinary Witnesses is the imminence of Armageddon, and when exactly is that coming? Before the generation that overlaps the generation that witnessed the year 1914 passes away. And who said this? Jehovah God, in His, “increased light”- information transmitted directly between God and the Governing Body and reported in the April 15, 2010 Watchtower. When “increased light” is proven to be false it can’t be dismissed as “speculation” by “Jehovah’s people” or blamed on “over enthusiasm” by Watchtower writers… when the “overlapping generation” passes away (with no sign of Armageddon, of course) Witnesses will be left with the stark choice: either Jehovah lied or the Governing Body lied. Either way, the religion is screwed! How ironic for the Watchtower Society – they are about to be annihilated in a corporate Armageddon!
Reply
Queen Elsa says:
July 19, 2015 at 10:48 pm
, I couldn’t agree that
Reply
Queen Elsa says:
July 19, 2015 at 10:48 pm
More
Reply
Ted says:
July 17, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Great read Cedars. Who says there’s not much good news
these days.? can’t think who they might be!
Reply
Mama Joy says:
July 17, 2015 at 5:55 pm
Do you have a copy of the elders letter?
Reply
Gareth says:
July 17, 2015 at 11:54 pm
@Mama Joy, there is a link in the article: “letter to all elders…” is the link.
Reply
Mike Morris says:
July 17, 2015 at 11:28 pm
I think that the organization is mirroring what is happening to Christianity generally, and will be left with an ageing membership that will decline over the years. All the points made in the article will have an impact of course. Particularly the effect of the internet and sites like this one.
Reply
sally1914 says:
July 18, 2015 at 1:23 am
Wow! I think this is your best article ever! SO encouraging! I thought I was getting my hopes up, and was trying not to, then I read this article. Your points are dead on accurate, watchtower surely seems to be hurting financially! It’s so exciting to think that this horrible and cruel organization will one day implode!
Reply
Bonnie says:
July 18, 2015 at 5:38 am
One can only hope. However, even if there was a mass exodus, there is always a handy scripture from the J Dub Translation to explain it. “The love of the greater number cooling off” comes to mind. They have scriptures to explain everything away.
Reply
MrFair says:
July 18, 2015 at 6:08 am
Great article! As far as printing operations are concerned, there is a HUGE amount of waste. Kingdom Halls almost always have a massive stockpile of old magazines in the attic, basement, etc. The publishers have loads of them laying around their house, garage and cars. My neighbor, who is a special pioneer, cleans out his car trunk monthly and inevitably ends up with a large box of unused and now damaged literature. He burns it in a fire pit to avoid the embarrassment of it all being dumped at the recycling center. At some point they will catch on and reduce the printing amounts. I would have done it years ago. They did at one point ask for publishers to bring back any undamaged, placeable literature to the hall. Now what are we going to do with this box of “Truth” books and Awake! Magazines about the dinosaurs? The whole thing is an absolute circus when the spell breaks and you see it for what it is. I hope they do declare bankruptcy someday, morally, spiritually and financially.
Reply
Braveheart says:
July 18, 2015 at 7:13 am
Wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments Cedars, but for a different speculative reason. As you say, because of the Org’s financial secrecy, we can only guess at what is really happening within the Org’s chambers.
My take: the money grab, followed rapidly by the promise/threat to merge congregations, (not to SHARE a KH) has been too dramatic to even think that this is a CHOSEN course. I’d suggest that the Org has been forced into such unheard of, draconian action because of the 2008 financial collapse. Its investments & hedge fund speculations have collapsed big-time and exposed them to bankruptcy, thus demanding such punitive measures on congregations.
The flock could never be told that their beloved Org almost gambled away “God’s earthly organization.”
Reply
John Z says:
July 18, 2015 at 8:57 am
I am no trend setter. For my wife and who were very devout mid thirties born in jws. Now facing shunning and dfing I’m not alone many are waking up! I hope the org crashes and burns!
Reply
James Broughton says:
July 18, 2015 at 10:47 am
A well-written article, worthy of being produced in the form of a tract. Just as in the 1930s there could be a new movement with a new title rising out of the ashes but it will be full of the old heresies and bad practices that will continue to dupe unsuspecting people.
Reply
Ted says:
July 18, 2015 at 11:06 am
The WT, often bragged about the millions of mags, it distributed,
but how many were actually placed with the public, and how many
we’re junked? MrFair’s comment is so true.
I more often than not had difficulty placing my quota, in fact
sometimes I came back with more mags, than I went out with.
Making back calls on previous placements, the h,holder would
come to the door and thrust the literature back at me, saying
“I don’t want this rubbish in the house.”
And the hard backed books, you’d carry them about for weeks
then end up throwing them in the junk cupboard.
The con, here was that you paid up front this stuff, you didn’t get
it on a “Sale or return basis” , so it was a no lose system,”For them”.
I worked for a company, selling brushes, and polish, they used
the same no lose method. You’d pay in advance for what you
needed to fill your orders, then some of the customers would
change their mind. So instead of wages to feed the kids, you
we’re left with several toilet brushes, and a few tins of floor
polish. ( it’s a good job my kids were not fussy eaters. )
Reply
JJ says:
July 18, 2015 at 12:35 pm
I hope you’re right!!! It would solve so many of my problems if this stupid cult would crash-and-burn.
It would be fun to watch, and maybe even be a part of taking down this huge, vicious group of deluded men. Then finally seeing my wife and children freed, not to mention many other friends and family members.
For sure, without a doubt, JW.Org-land is going through some serious problems. Let’s see if they can reinvent themselves? I doubt it. Will some people stay in to the end??? Yes, some will. I think the vast majority will slowly slip away like cowards on a battlefield. They won’t talk about it and they will deny that they ever really believed it. The old hard-arses will not know what hit them as they see their “flock” get smaller and smaller every month.
It will be fun to gloat!!!
Reply
Paola says:
July 18, 2015 at 3:03 pm
Very well written Lloyd. It is very sad to see how blind people can choose to be even when you try to share and just get them to ask questions from their organization. Love that last line! I’ll be in line to get your book. :)
Reply
Wanderer says:
July 18, 2015 at 4:25 pm
I can’t see them going broke. They have sold off their Brooklyn assets, they are ramping up on donations and they get their Kingdom Halls built at construction materials only prices paid for by the R&F and sold off at any time by the Society. They would be one of the only religions that don’t have any charity expenditure.
I can’t see how they can lose with that business model.
Reply
jakemon75 says:
July 18, 2015 at 4:53 pm
Nice work. Your recent pieces have been especially good! Please keep finding the time to put these together.
Reply
Ned Holcomb says:
July 18, 2015 at 8:59 pm
This is my first comment on a site like this but your thoughts on the org’s finances made me think of another problem they may be having. The practice of shunning ones children caused many to send their estates to the Borg when they died. Why give it to those awful kids who left Jehovah when you can send it to God himself.
Many of us who spent our life in this money hungry religion have no inheritance to give to anyone because of “putting God first” and not getting a career and not planning for retirement.
It would be nice to see them as broke as many of us are as a result of there horrible advice and false prophecies.
I think though that so many are so terrified of these men’s threats of destruction of those who oppose them that they will stay and support them no matter how bad they get because ” where do we go away to” is so instilled in there heads.
I did love your thoughts and hope it happens.
Reply
Tim says:
July 18, 2015 at 11:26 pm
Great article and very perseptive. In each congregation there are real die hard believers who feel in their hearts god speaks via the governing body. Seeing GB members speak on their own TV channel is akin to seeing god speak. For this audience JW can do no wrong.
I think imploding is a long way off. What is more likely is a reduction in active membership to core believers and lots of fear inducing talks, Watchtower study articles to make core believers get the faders and stragglers onside. My wife, not very active, is impressed with videos shown at mid week meetings. This is evidence, she and others believes, that god is modernising the organisation.
On a completely different note, how many kingdom halls have windows? Any other public building without windows would make people dubious.
Reply
Idontknowhatodo says:
July 19, 2015 at 2:17 am
I find myself hungrily devouring every word you write because finally after a lifetime of being duped I have woken up….I always had times of periodic doubt but suppressed it because of various avenues of indoctrinated fear…I reg pioneered on many occasions…but over the last two years and especially since the monthly broadcasts on jw.org Ihave seen what I and my parents and siblings have dedicated our life to…an evil lie…now I am to old at 57 to build a life that can give me financial and personal fullfillment satisfaction…the opportunities I have tossed aside because of the direction of the organization…ones that would have meant such a happy and satisfying life…Im sick at heart…I am so in love with my spouse but they are totally duped and will listen to no reason or any argument against the organization…and would report me to the congregational elders ‘for my own good’ if thought needed…Im petrified of shunning because my whole family and all my friends are witnesses and I would be so alone…though sometimes I feel alone in a sea of people…in one way I have such relief…I no longer believe in God or a Devil..but I am utterly depressed because the best years of my life are gone…how can they do this to people?
Reply
Excelsior! says:
July 19, 2015 at 6:04 am
Idontknow…,
I am truly sorry for your situation. I hope that the WTBTS implodes soon, but I think it will be around for a good while yet in some form.
If I were in your situation, I would try to see my “theocratic” responsibilities as a role I had to play. What is the minimum you can do and still be “in good standing” in your situation? Find that level, and try to average around that. Another good tip is to use good old cheap words to your advantage. A few hearty “Isn’t Jehovah God’s spirit-directed Organisation wonderful?!”s and other similar statements will help convince the elders that you are in the fold.
I would reccomend reading the “Shepherding the Flock of God” elders text book. It is a cheat sheet for just what the elders will be looking for and knowledge is potential power for you to play them at their own game.
It’s a wretched situation, but these tips will hopefully help you. The only place where any human being can possibly be free is within their own minds. You are free, but your loved ones are sadly not.
These tips are how I would tackle this tragic situation. They may not work for you, but they may be of help to you. They come from a genuine feeling of compassion for you, and all those who face this awful dilemma.
All the best to you and your family.
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
Reply
Idontknowhatodo says:
July 19, 2015 at 7:10 am
Thank you Excelsior
Its great that your advice comes from a sincere place and not a ‘words by rote’ mindset…
I think I will follow your advice for the near future and though Im no spring chicken try and alongsode it create a life for myself…
My loved ones are for the moment imprisoned…
Im happy my mind is not…
Thank you for bringing that to my attention..
Peace be with you also
Reply
peggy says:
July 19, 2015 at 6:13 pm
Idontknow….I am 54 and recently told my family I am inactive. It took a long time to do it. I gradually woke up. My mind belongs to me now and that is more valuable than anything. The tips given to do as little and say the right “theocratic lines” helped me as I was leaving. I was angry the best years of my life were wasted, too. But, many new opportunities await. We can make it happen. It is funny , but the first thing I stopped doing was contributing money. It felt great.
Reply
Searcher says:
July 20, 2015 at 10:03 am
@Idontknowhatodo
I really feel for your situation and it is touching. Don’t feel that all is lost. You now have your own mind and no one, not even the JW organization can take that from you. Of all things that Nazi concentration camp victims said: They would say that the Nazi’s could take their freedom, but not the freedom of their mind. You can rebuild yourself and move on even at 57, just not as some in greater society would think. You are free in your mind and that is something to be proud of, because freedom isn’t free.
Reply
mandalay says:
July 21, 2015 at 11:14 am
Idontknowwhattodo:
I woke up two-and-a-half years ago. I stopped contributing two years before I actually stopped attending meetings. I am older than you and understand your pain because I’ve been there. There are so many things I want to do with my life now and can’t. But I’m completely over it now. I’m just happy as ever to be free, to start thinking instead of learning. I am never lonely. I use the internet extensively and read books–everything I can get my hands on, i.e., science, technology, sacred books and bible, history, politics, economics, conspiracy, mythology, theology, the paranormal… I am beginning to construct a different world view, which oddly enough, is not altogether taking me into the atheistic-evolutionist camp I thought it would, but that’s another story.
Reply
Gameisover says:
July 19, 2015 at 2:42 am
Thank you for a superb article, Cedars. You’ve said it all, and so well. I know many “friends” who still attend meetings for the love of their families. The great silent revenge is they have stopped contributing completely.
They also write 1or 2 hours in their monthly report so as not to be considered inactive. How sad to have to resort
to those strategies in order to conserve ones family and friends! (The number is legion).
Reply
Idontknowhatodo says:
July 19, 2015 at 3:20 am
Really…is it that many?
Im not alone then
Thank You
Reply
Alicia says:
July 20, 2015 at 11:20 am
I was baptized at 13, was contacted at 25 by Jon Mitchell, a friend at Brooklyn Bethel, regarding the shake up involving Raymond Franz and others (didn’t listen), and finally, at 50 and unhappy, I read Crisis of Conscience and In Search of Christian Freedom (became inactive).
That was 10 years ago. I just read “Exiting the JW Cult: A Healing Handbook for Current and Former Jehovah’s Witnesses” by Bonnie Zieman. I can’t recommend it highly enough. I wish I had this info when I was young enough to make a real life outside JW.org. But whatever time I have left can be better. All’s well that ends well.
Reply
Queen Elsa says:
July 19, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Yep, me too!
Reply
anonymous says:
July 19, 2015 at 3:41 am
When you read between the lines of that letter to the elders, you can see the Society is losing ground but true believers will see that it’s a smart move to close down Kingdom Halls where attendance is low and drive to distant Kingdom Halls.
What the rank and file don’t see is that the Society will get the money from these fire sales and sock it away in their off-shore accounts where nobody can get their hands on it or they will reinvest it in more and more property.
What I also foresee, is faders and old people dropping out when they have to start driving long distances to their new Kingdom Halls and having to pay for the gas and getting home so late. I think it will be a good excuse for the faders and doubters and old people and people with young children to stop going and with fewer and fewer people attending, it will be more and more discouraging for those attending and then as the old ones die off and the younger set going on the internet and seeing the “truth” for what it really is, I see it dying off in maybe 20-30 years. By that time, the Governing Body will be all dead but the Watchtower corporations will be the richest organizations on the earth with the sale of all their Kingdom Halls and assembly halls and branches.
Reply
JWIntellect says:
July 19, 2015 at 5:34 am
Superb article!
Reply
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Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
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Posted on July 17, 2015
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for Watchtower?
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for Watchtower?
For many current and former Jehovah’s Witnesses who find themselves victimized by Watchtower’s cruel cult-like practices, the prospect of witnessing the end of the organization seems too good to be true.
Especially when you have spent many years being sold false promises of extraordinary future events, it’s understandable that you would be wary of getting your hopes up over something as significant as the downfall of the organization that misled you.
I obviously won’t make you any promises, because I have learned to be extremely cautious of wishful thinking in all its forms. But when I look at what is going on with Watchtower, I see an organization falling from grace at a rate faster than I could have ever reasonably envisaged.
The latest evidence of the organization’s free-fall comes in the shape of a letter to all elders in the United States branch territory, dated July 8, 2015. You can read about Watchtower’s new “master plan” yourself, but essentially it adds a further caveat to their smash-and-grab, stealth-tithing maneuvers from last year. (Thanks go to JWleaks.org for first making this letter available.)*
The new letter essentially says to publishers (or doesn’t say to publishers, because it’s an elders-only letter): “Not only are we going to make you promise to send us money every month for maintaining a kingdom hall that isn’t owned by you in any meaningful sense, we are also warning you that we might sell your kingdom hall, pocket the proceeds, and send you to go share someone else’s kingdom hall while STILL taking your money for the kingdom hall we’ve just sold.”
Rather than write an exhaustive summary of the letter, and re-hash points I have already made on this matter from previous articles, I thought I would take a different approach by adding this latest development to my list of 10 reasons why I believe Watchtower COULD be about to implode. Here goes…
1. Jehovah’s Witnesses are becoming a toxic brand
toxic-brand
The internet is more hostile than ever regarding Jehovah’s Witnesses. As the world becomes more aware of the cult phenomenon (thanks in part to the success of documentaries like HBO’s “Going Clear” film about Scientology) journalists are becoming less squeamish when it comes to highlighting the cult-attributes of the organization in newspaper articles and news broadcasts.
Ex-Witnesses have already turned YouTube into a no-go zone for believing Witnesses, and continue to explore ingenious strategies for reaching out to those under Watchtower’s spell. Even non-Witness blogs like Hemant Mehta’s Friendly Atheist are now rallying to the ex-JW cause and becoming increasingly vocal about the organization’s harmful practices. All this means it is harder than ever for Witnesses to find new converts, and easier than ever for Witnesses to wake up.
2. Less “spiritual food” is being printed
spiritual-food
The wafer-thin magazines on the literature carts testify to a huge drop in printed output of 39% for monthly magazine printing since 2005. If God’s one true organization is flourishing, why has it so drastically scaled down on its “spiritual food?” The simple truth is, printing is expensive. VERY expensive. A good gauge of prosperity for any printing organization is its printed output. If a printing company has a problem, it will print less stuff. That is exactly what we have already been seeing for some time with Watchtower.
3. Globally, the organization is in retreat
retreat
Watchtower has been shutting down branches at a rate never before seen, with branch numbers plummeting from 118 in 2009 to just 90 as of last year. The organization used to pride itself on its global footprint, and would herald the dedication of new branches as evidence of God’s backing for the global preaching work. Now Watchtower is in open retreat, using single branches to run the affairs of multiple countries. RTOs, or “Remote Translation Offices” (think of an RTO as a Bethel-lite), are seen as a way of keeping some kind of presence in far-flung territories, but the glory days of Watchtower’s relentless global expansion are fast disappearing in the rear view mirror.
4. The begging has started
begging
For the first time in the organization’s history, the Governing Body openly admitted to a shortfall in needed funds in the May 2015 JW Broadcasting episode. This unprecedented move was made despite Watchtower making 1 Billion from selling off its Brooklyn portfolio ($375 million in one transaction alone), which could indicate the Brooklyn proceeds have already been spent. After all, when there is zero accounting transparency, we have no way of knowing how indebted the organization is. No amount of revenue from property sales will be much use to Watchtower if it is all getting sucked into a bottomless pit of accumulated debt.
5. The stealth tithing has started
tithing
Expect an organization in financial peril to desperately claw around for ways of bringing in more cash from available assets. In Watchtower’s case, they are prevented from demanding money from individual members, because this would be classed as “tithing” – a practice associated with false religion that the organization has condemned since its inception. What Watchtower CAN do is tithe, not individuals, but congregations. This is precisely what the new “Local Design/Construction” arrangement has achieved.
Last year elders were forced to promise a fixed amount to be donated to Watchtower every month from their congregation account, based on (1) what the congregation was already sending for paying off a building/renovation loan, or (2) anonymous slips of paper passed around so that publishers could indicate what they could afford to pledge. Congregations were even told to send any surplus funds squirreled away for a rainy day to Watchtower, leaving just $5,000 plus three months’ worth of regular operating expenses.
Amazingly, the majority of Witnesses continue to be oblivious to what amounts to a smash-and-grab, and are instead under the assumption that Watchtower has mercifully forgiven all kingdom hall building loans.
6. Kingdom hall ‘mergers’ are in store
fuel-in-car
As already mentioned, Watchtower has instructed all United States elders as of July 8, 2015 to be ready for their congregation to be re-assigned to a different kingdom hall if the organization’s new “master plan” deems this necessary. The letter marks the green light for the downsizing we are already seeing at branch level to be soon rolled out at congregation level, and is again clear evidence that Watchtower is desperate to claw in money wherever it can and become a smaller, more financially nimble organization.
The end game would be kingdom hall multiplexes in city-center locations shared by five or more congregations – a far cry from the parochial feel older Witnesses will be accustomed to.
As delightful as it is to think of such a huge regression in the local presence of the organization, you can’t help but feel bad for all those long-standing Witnesses who have donated thousands over the years under the false assumption that they were responsible for their local kingdom hall’s upkeep. Soon, for all their kindness and generosity, such ones may face lengthy and costly car journeys to intimidating, soulless, inconvenient city-center locations allocated to them by Watchtower.
7. Personnel are being jettisoned
kicked-out
Last year district overseers received the unwelcome news that their positions no longer existed, and they were surplus to requirements. Though some will have been demoted down to circuit overseer rank, the majority will have been jettisoned by the organization to fend for themselves – an entire strata of the organization’s hierarchy dissolved, and deemed no longer serviceable or cost-effective.
In a similarly unceremonious manner, workers at branch offices subject to closure by Watchtower have been cast adrift, with years or even decades of loyal service apparently counting for very little in the organization’s quest to make ends meet. The recently-emerged story of a Wallkill bethelite who was virtually thrown out on the street due to “cutbacks” suggests that the organization’s top brass have no qualms when it comes to wielding the axe. Bethelites in Watchtower’s heartland would do well to watch their backs and plan for the worst as the organization looks to slash spending wherever it can.
8. The secret weapons have failed
secret-weapon
Despite all the fanfare and hype, JW.org has been unable to attract internet-savvy non-Witnesses – its main target audience. It is, quite literally, preaching to the converted. The 2015 Yearbook boasted that JW.org received 850,000,000+ total visits in the first two years from Aug 27, 2012 to Aug 31, 2014. This figure sounds impressive until you factor in the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses – 8 million. Assuming every active Witness visits their own website at least once per week, you arrive at only a slightly lower figure of 832,000,000 visits over the two years (8,000,000 x 52 x 2).
And despite succeeding in making the organization more visible, there has been no notable increase in baptisms in the two years since the literature carts (or “metropolitan witnessing”) program was launched. After all, getting literature into someone’s hands won’t stop them going on the internet and fact-checking when they get home. And that’s assuming anyone is interested in approaching the carts to begin with. In this Guardian article, the reporter watched some carts in a busy part of London for an hour, and the only person who approached the Witnesses did so because they needed directions.
9. The child abuse floodgates have opened
flood
As was predicted at the time, there has been a relentless stream of child abuse lawsuits filed against Watchtower since the 2012 Candace Conti verdict. In 2013, a year on from the Conti judgment, lawyer Irwin Zalkin told me he had no less than 11 lawsuits on his books. Though many such lawsuits end up being settled, the success of the Jose Lopez case and the recent victory in London’s High Court have shown that if child abuse victims are willing to dig their heels in and stay the course they can have, not only compensation, but justice served.
All of this doesn’t bode well for an organization already under fire for its cult-like shunning practices and death-dealing prohibitions on blood transfusions. And apart from the atrocious reputation, with well-informed journalists like Trey Bundy spelling out the problems of organizational mishandling in the media, the money for paying off multi-million judgments and out-of-court settlements has to come from somewhere.
Even if the Governing Body sent a long-overdue letter out tomorrow FINALLY telling elders to report all child abuse accusations straight to the police, Watchtower would still have to answer to the backlog of lawsuits from victims who suffered while the two-witness rule was (is) still in place. Such victims may well have only a finite window of opportunity to get ANY money out of Watchtower at all.
10. Watchtower doesn’t have a PR strategy
head-in-sand
You’re an international, faith-based non-profit organization with a toxic brand both on the internet and in the media. Fewer people from wealthy, developed countries with internet are joining you, and thus donations are dwindling. For all the evangelizing and promotional work of your members, a few clicks on Google can completely dismantle your organization’s message. To make matters worse, you have mounting legal costs and settlements to pay for out of an ever-diminishing revenue stream. What you urgently need is a good PR strategy to make it easier to bring in fresh converts (and their donations) – but even here Watchtower is almost comically inept.
The organization’s PR strategy is essentially two-fold: (1) bury your head in the sand and hope your opposers eventually get bored and go away, or (2) refute the claims made by your opposers using outright lies (*cough* Rick Fenton). Both of these methods may help the likes of Tony Morris get to sleep at night in the short-term, but ultimately they are self-defeating. To neutral observers, silence is incriminating when damning allegations are on the table – especially related to harming children. And when you flat out lie about your damaging policies and teachings, you only give critics like me more rope to hang you with.
The only workable strategy Watchtower can pursue at this stage is one of reform, but past experience shows that any form of “compromise” is seen by the Governing Body as capitulation to Satan’s hordes. In short, Watchtower is sinking because its deluded leaders are their own worst enemies.
What does the future hold?
I do not for one moment suggest that we will see an end to Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religion in our lifetimes. The fact that there continues to be such a thing as the bible students, who still cling to Charles Taze Russell and his discredited, outlandish teachings, tells us that religions have amazing survival abilities even when members are deprived of their leadership. Faith, after all, is a product of people’s minds. When enough people believe the same unsubstantiated thing you have a religion, regardless of whether there is a person or organization to lead it.
But while religions are virtually indestructible, corporations are not. Non-profit organizations like Watchtower are just as capable of getting into debt as any other business. And when your bank manager starts bankruptcy proceedings against you because you can no longer service your debts, it’s game over.
The organization's glory days are already behind it
The organization’s glory days are already behind it
Those who suggest Watchtower is too big and successful to go down need only look at the fact that it has already been shrinking since it reached its zenith (in terms of branches and printing operations) some time between 2005 and 2010. Add to that the desperate clawing for cash over the five years since then, and you have the omens of an organizational collapse.
The winds of change have completely overtaken Watchtower in the internet age, and the Governing Body find themselves in a whole different ball game to their predecessors. If things are really as bad as I suspect, Watchtower needs to drastically downscale its operations to, say, a handful of branches and zero printing. In other words, it needs to become like its noisy neighbor Scientology, which despite having only 50,000-or-so members (and an even worse reputation) still has an impressive portfolio of valuable property scattered across the globe and minimal overheads compared to Watchtower.
But any downsizing of that magnitude would send Watchtower into an even more vicious spiral, in which it would start hemorrhaging even the most diehard members. After all, when you have spent decades pointing to your success as evidence of divine backing, how do you explain any sudden, sharp decline?
If Watchtower were to go bankrupt, it could always try claiming that the Great Tribulation has begun and Satan’s minions (their creditors) have started overtly attacking God’s people, but this simply will not wash with more intelligent Witnesses. Whatever is left of the organization (perhaps re-branded to ditch the Watchtower name entirely while retaining the Governing Body at the helm) would have a huge exodus on its hands.
It is precisely because of all the pride at stake that, in my mind, a sudden implosion seems increasingly plausible. Unlike ordinary commercial organizations who have the flexibility to change their size and scope according to the prevailing conditions, “God’s organization” can only be seen by its members to be going in an upwards trajectory for its grandiose claims of divine direction to have any credence. Any noticeable regression would rightly be interpreted as evidence of God’s favor being absent. Thus any problems would be allowed to accumulate behind closed doors until they reach a critical mass.
Of course I could be wrong, but if that is so then Watchtower is doing an awful lot of begging and downsizing for no particular reason, and with far too much to lose by doing so. It could well be that some incredible developments are ahead as Watchtower’s predicament further deteriorates, and the Governing Body slowly discovers that Jehovah isn’t coming to the rescue after all. I had better get on with writing my book while there is still an organization to write about.
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Translations: Spanish | French | Hungarian
Further reading…
◾JWsurvey articles on Watchtower downsizing
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80 Responses to Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
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ruthlee says:
July 19, 2015 at 8:04 am
dear i dont know what to do ive just come from a dead meeting all those little lost sheep with nothing of substance to say for themselves and i attended fs meeting afterward 2 elds 1 real pio not the pretend young who never support anyone but themselves see it for what it is and have hope in time you will see the path you need to be on meanwhile people like lloyd and others help you realise you are not going mad i too in 50s and frittered away my life but i hope and still believe in our creator and ihope the smashing instrument comes first to those who declare they have Gods authority the rot really has set in and the house will fail just dont let you and your family get caught in the crossfire and this site has helped me so much im truly grateful that like minded people exist and are willing to be kind
Reply
Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 12:45 am
Ruthlee, this is really hard to read. After a couple of words I gave up. I don’t want to be snotty, but with punctuation marks and maybe a paragraph here and there it is easier for the eyes to follow your words.
Thus giving them the attention they deserve :)
Reply
It'sJustMe says:
July 19, 2015 at 11:24 am
“If Watchtower were to go bankrupt…..”, Lloyd dixit, ….I would not hesitate for a second to celebrate this happy event with champagne.
Reply
Pam says:
July 19, 2015 at 1:52 pm
Hi Cedar,
Thank you for this information. However neither my friend or I could open the letter to the elders. Is there some other way to view it?
Thanks in advance,
Pam
Reply
Cedars says:
July 19, 2015 at 2:09 pm
Hi Pam! I’ve just checked again and the link above does work.
Be sure to click the blue rectangular box that says: “Click here to start download from sendspace.”
Thanks.
Reply
Cognitive Loop says:
July 19, 2015 at 7:06 pm
How I opened the elders letter linked in this article:
Go to site linked in article. Click the download link. There should be a pop-up box asking how you want the file: save it? or open it? Select “open”.
But here’s the trick: it requires a file reader such as Adobe/Acrobat Reader. Perhaps that is what is gumming up the works on your end? Or maybe a firewall/permissions setting?
Reply
Finn Sawyer says:
July 20, 2015 at 12:09 am
Looks like Watchtower had the link to the elder’s letter removed from the JW leaks site server. The URL is null.
Reply
Cedars says:
July 20, 2015 at 3:26 am
Yes, the JWleaks/sendspace link no longer works. Fortunately the letter can still be read on this link… http://imgur.com/Ng4CYXy
Reply
Erik says:
July 20, 2015 at 1:56 am
Or…downsizing CAN be explained to the flock as a sign that we are sooo deep into the last days, all religions are under attack, even this one now. So soon Jehovah must act, because now Satan has turned his wrath onto His organization. Any negative happenings can be explained away like so!!
Reply
alain says:
July 20, 2015 at 4:06 am
Hi Lloyd,
Thanks for this sobering article…
But, about these facts:
1) the huge building process in Warwick ( the new JW worldwide headquarters)
2) the crucial need of more and more Kingdom Halls?
Looking forward to hearing from you the soonest,
Kind Regards
Reply
Cedars says:
July 20, 2015 at 5:47 am
Hi alain
The building project in Warwick is a property flip. They are building their new headquarters at a fraction of the cost of what they are making from selling Brooklyn, so it’s a money-making exercise rather than a statement that the organization is financially stable.
As to the stated need for kingdom halls, for this to be a “crucial” need, you would need to see a corresponding surge in the numbers of those baptized. Instead the growth figure has been hovering around the 2% mark for the last five years, indicating growth is stagnant and any perceived need for new halls has been there for many years.
Lloyd
Reply
Rae says:
July 20, 2015 at 6:40 am
Cedars
You’re spot on with so much you have to say about the Watchtower Society… my own experience… but to disavow the existence of the maker of all things because the messenger has become apostate itself…? No condemnation here at all. Just a suggestion for a little rethink. Is it possible that God has become ticked off and decided to do something about the falsehood in the Society?
Yours… Rae
Reply
Cedars says:
July 20, 2015 at 6:46 am
Rather than being based on my experience with the organization, my reasons for no longer being religious are due to the lack of evidence for a theistic God, but thank you for your concern.
Reply
Idontknowhatodo says:
July 20, 2015 at 7:32 am
Me too Lloyd
Im certainly not replacing all I have rejected with another ideology…
Evidence points in one direction only…
I refuse to ignore my powers of reasoning any longer…
Please never stop writing or doing your videos…
They have been an enormous help to me…
Helping me free my mind.
Reply
Free Thinker says:
July 20, 2015 at 7:10 am
Has anyone else noticed the use of the phrase “master plan” in paragraph two of the letter. How many dictatorial powers have used that phrase and come to nothing.If it goes wrong they can always blame the “master plan”.Imagine now Vincent Price laughing manically in the background.
Reply
LOL says:
July 20, 2015 at 8:50 pm
What a bunch of pathetic losers!!
Reply
Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 12:56 am
Probably (hopefully?) most elders won’t get fooled into thinking that WT is soo thriving that they don’t know where to put all the new sheep in (ha ha).
A sobering thought for me is: IF this letter would get to be known to the rest of the congregation, would they draw the false conclusion that this move is made because of exploding growth?
Oooh the organisation needs money to build more kingdom halls but it is still not enough! We also need to move closer together! Oh all the growth. Jehova must surely pour his blessing over the congregations…..
Isn’t that probable that JW people will just distort the facts to soothe their perception?
Reply
Everyday Explorer says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:47 am
What an incisive article. Thank you, Lloyd.
Reply
ScotWm says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:39 am
Over half of the 10 items listed as evidence that the Watchtower is headed for collapse are related to financial problems. Item 9, “The child abuse floodgates have opened”, appears to have the power to eventually destroy the Watchtower.
My attempts to obtain a realistic total of all Watchtower child abuse settlements has been unsuccessful. There are a number of confidential settlements, for which there are no amounts stated, as well as many multi-million dollar judgments listed as being appealed by the Watchtower legal department.
Regarding a recent California child abuse case: “In the Lopez trial, the Watchtower refused to provide its list of perpetrators, in violation of an order upheld by the California Supreme Court. It also refused to provide the longest-serving member of the Governing Body, Gerrit Lösch, who was subpoenaed.” The judge awarded a $13.5 million default verdict which the Watchtower cannot appeal. However, the Watchtower is currently appealing the amount of the judgment.
https://www.revealnews.org/article/jehovahs-witnesses-use-1st-amendment-to-hide-child-sex-abuse-claims/
Candace Conti was awarded $28 million, but the punitive damage award was reversed, leaving only $2.8 million in compensatory damages. There is no record of the Watchtower having paid Conti any amount at this time.
In any event, the number of child abuse cases is growing, the Watchtower’s delay tactics are becoming ineffective and the bills will eventually come due. The Watchtower will need a lot more than its children’s ice cream money to cover the child abuse judgments.
Reply
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← Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
The Unexpected Kindness of the World
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Posted on July 21, 2015
Random acts of kindness by "worldly" people are not as rare as most Witnesses might expect
Random acts of kindness by “worldly” people are not as rare as most Witnesses might expect
As a Jehovah’s Witness child, our religious community was seen as a spiritual paradise in contrast to all other organizations on earth. This mindset was routinely emphasized in Watchtower publications.
One Watchtower assures us that “[God] has made it possible for honest hearted ones to move out of the wicked world, figuratively speaking, and into the spiritual paradise that he has created.” (“Dwell on What Jehovah Has Done for You,” Watchtower, 15 January 2011)
Our worldwide brotherhood did seem rather impressive to my young mind. Wherever we were, it was no rare thing to find ourselves staying over and sharing dinner with new Witness “friends.” Over a home cooked meal we’d swap “How did you come into the truth?” stories, make small-talk over the latest Watchtower publications, and after us kids were hushed away to listen to taped Bible dramas, the adults might engage in gossip over those that had recently succumbed to the world.
“The world” was JW jargon to encapsulate everyone that didn’t happen to also be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Faithful members were encouraged to be vigilant, because any number of demonic lures could snatch a loyal Witness from Jehovah’s organization into the clutches of the wicked world. A hushed mention of the term was enough to carry my mind to Live Forever book illustrations; I mentally transposed the faces of the disfellowshipped over those of opium addicts, disco harlots, and gay cowboys.
1982_Live_Forever_Pg_131
Live Forever book, page 131
1982_Live_Forever_Pg_182
Live Forever book, page 182
This condemnation was not exclusively reserved for the unreligious. Other Christian faiths were considered to be part of the wicked world. And our religious publications seldom wasted an opportunity to contrast the JW version of Christianity with our competitors.
For example, the 2014 Yearbook contains the account of a Somali woman who accepted an invitation to visit a Kingdom Hall. There she grew angry when no one welcomed her and stormed out of the door. Later when she told her experience to the Witness that had invited her, they all realized that she had mistakenly visited another church building. The anecdote ends by sharing that the Somali woman eventually found the Kingdom Hall, was warmly welcomed, and became a regular attender.
Accounts like this are used to infer that even among the religions of “the world” there is no kindness like that of the Witnesses. There is another undercurrent that runs through this and similar JW anecdotes. A warm welcome is merely the first step in the conversion process.
As an adult, I began to see that the JW version of kindness didn’t always match the Watchtower picture. The initial love bombing was soon replaced by a sort of caste system that celebrated those that held position and disregarded those that didn’t live up to the heavy load imposed by the Governing Body. And those that ran afoul of any number of the religion’s rules might be expelled.
Witnesses that once rushed to embrace someone entering through the front door would as quickly turn away from someone shoved out the back. I experienced this myself when I was disfellowshipped for the crime of not agreeing.
After separating from the Witnesses, I accepted invitations to visit other churches. In attending some of these religious rivals, I couldn’t help but notice similarities. As I entered old churches, converted theaters, and the occasional dank basement, I was bombarded by smiling, Holy book-holding people. Questions such as “Who are you?” and “Are you visiting?” were quickly followed by invitations for Bible study and baptism. The jargon was different but the experiences weren’t far off from my JW background.
It also wasn’t rare for those groups to claim exclusivity due to the love they showed one another. An acquaintance that was raised in a high control group, commonly called the 2×2’s, talked about how his own childhood was marked by religious-vacations to stay at the houses of various “friends.” His mother was proud that they could count on anyone of their faith to take them in off the road. It sounded like my own family.
After I separated from the JW religion, it was sometimes a challenge to integrate into the world. A discomfort or awkwardness lingered when associating with people of different backgrounds. The stigma was all on me due to my upbringing. But over time I widened out and met people of different backgrounds – some of whom became real friends.
Recently I took a trip to western North Carolina, a scenic area on the east coast of the United States. My girlfriend and I were hosted by a couple who lived half-way up a tall mountain with gorgeous views of the scenery. We were complete strangers, just introduced online. We made shrimp and steak tacos for our hosts as a small thanks for the paradise-like accommodations that would have rivaled the most exclusive resort. As we drank frosty bottles of Negra Modelo with our new friends, we learned about their incredible lives.
mountain_home
The North Carolina mountain retreat where we stayed
He was 60’s student who enlisted in the military to serve in the Vietnam war before getting out as an objector after a crisis of conscience. Back home he became a street flower vendor before opening his own shop. She was an ethnobotanist that toured the world conducting research for National Geographic. He told us about the local foliage. She told us that cannibals loved SPAM, because it allegedly tastes like human flesh.
For example, many use tobacco, chew betel nut, or take drugs for recreational purposes. – “A Godly View of Life”, What Does the Bible Teach?
And she told us about betel nut. As a JW, betel nut was considered another of Satan’s machinations that could catapult an unsuspecting Witness straight into the world. It was up there with marijuana and tobacco, though no one seemed to know exactly what it was. Our host told us that betel nut was chewed by islanders from the age of nine onward. It resulted in addiction and the loss of teeth. Thanks to the Watchtower I dodged the bullet on that one. I could have had dentures at eleven!
The couple enthusiastically explained that they had made hospitality their way of life since touring Europe as young adults. Although decades had past, they vividly gave accounts of being approached to share a tent, roof or meal. When they returned to the States, they wanted to do the same and have continued to open their home to others passing through.
As we toured the local downtown an Eastern-European girl approached asking for directions. She was working as a counselor at a rural summer camp and was planning to walk back. The couple insisted they drive her. As we dropped her off and waved goodbye, we exchanged smiles and waves that transcended language. And there were no religious tracts exchanged.
We only stayed two nights, though our hosts implored us to stay more. Instead we set out to explore the local area, camping high in the middle of an expansive forest. By day we ventured down into the valley towns and city. One night we ended up staying too late enjoying cocktails and local music. A greeting to another couple led to another invitation to stay over.
The next afternoon another set of new acquaintances took care of our lunch bill. Beyond hospitality and food, we received housing advice, job leads, personal tours, conversation, and more. All came without an expectation of anything in return, not even a visit to a church building.
In religions like JW’s, kindness is not free or without conditions. When directed toward outsiders it is with the anticipation that it will lead to a conversion. But as easily as it is given, it quickly goes away whenever someone runs afoul of the religion. It’s true that in many places in the world kindness may be rare, but to insinuate that it can only come within one tiny Christian sect is simply false. It’s a lie told to enforce us-versus-them style thought control.
The more I’m exposed to the world, the more I’m exposed to genuinely kind people that give from the heart rather than religious obligation. And like my hosts, it motivates me to want to show similar kindness to others. Have you ever experienced unexpected kindness from “the world?” Please share it in the comments.
anthony-signature2
Anthony Mathenia is the author of a new JW fiction novel Happiness, Next Exit, to be released August 24th. Follow him on Twitter at @armathenia.
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29 Responses to The Unexpected Kindness of the World
sally1914 says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:30 am
The experience I’m sharing was my daughter’s. She and her husband went grocery shopping, gathering just over $100.00 worth of food. When they went to pay, every one of their credit cards/debit cards were declined! Close to tears, they had a stranger come along and pay their bill. They gave thanks to the Lord for providing. She has plans to open a room over the garage in her new home, for the homeless. They told me of this with wonder and tears.
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Angus Robertson says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:51 am
Great article. Since leaving have experienced so much unconditional kindness from neighbors and strangers alike. The support offered when my wife and I were DF’d (again for not agreeing) was incredible. You don’t need religion to be a good person and cults certainly do not hold exclusivity on hospitality.
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Kat says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:54 am
Being and older citizen and don’t drive because of a disability, my neighbor is always asking if they can take me to help with my shopping, this terrible worldly person asks nothing in return, however if I don’t ask JW they wont offer.
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Andrea says:
July 21, 2015 at 5:54 am
This was one of the eye-opening things for me when I left the JW community.
I had previously thought that there may not be a lot of kindness or generosity to see outside the org. How mistaken I was – so many people, some complete strangers, have turned out to be so kind or helpful without any agenda or expecting anything in return. I’ve similarly have met mean people, but I’ve also experienced the same from within the organisation… Truly, kindness or meanness is not determined by religion or lack thereof.
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Jill Hileman says:
July 21, 2015 at 6:28 am
It seems we all have the similar experience of shock and some level of dismay when “worldly people” prove to be so much more than the religious stamp assigned to them, so much more than the stark portrait painted to keep us distant and fearful.
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Thinking of leaving says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:10 am
To be honest I found the way I was treated when exiting to be some what perplexing. I was actively involved (well at least superficially as a publisher)for 4 decades in the religion.On finding out TTATT and beginning my fade I had not one elders visit, and only 3 publishers on 2 separate visits could be bothered to knock on my door to see how I was. In my life time I knew 1000s of witnesses and it still blows my mind to think how they will mindlessly go D2D knocking on empty houses and yet give so little attention to those exiting out the back door. Well it’s not like I’m complaining however. Keep up the good work Watchtower!!
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StrongHaiku says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:25 am
That was a great article and resonated with me. You asked the question ‘Have you ever experienced unexpected kindness from “the world?”’. I would answer with an unequivocal ‘yes’. Further, I would say it wasn’t until I have been out for a while that I learned how I had been indoctrinated to be xenophobic, sexist, racist, classist, etc. by this religion and the God it follows. And, this makes sense as one of the central tenets of religion is to make the in-group feel privileged and special by dehumanizing and demonizing the out-group.
If you have left the JWs, you may be happy (and feel smart) that you no longer follow a corrupt organization. However, you may still have a lot of work to do to reconnect with your humanity. Take the time to revisit everything you believe (and assume) beyond the theology. You may find you are still carrying a lot of bad ideas and baggage.
When I compare who I am today vs. who I was before, I am ashamed. Based on how I see things today, I don’t think I was truly a good person then, but I am working on it…
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Steve McRoberts says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:37 am
Great point, StrongHaiku. I feel exactly the same way.
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Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:58 am
I feel the same and appreciate you bringing that out in hte open!
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Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:59 am
the… typo. :-)
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Grace says:
July 21, 2015 at 3:41 pm
@StrongHaiku,
Everything you said in that comment was so true & how much I observed over the years myself too. I couldn’t have said it any better than that. “Xenophobic, sexist, racist, classist”.
I happened to be watching the original 1984 movie with my nieces the other day. We go to the bit where the crowd were watching the big screen shouting “hate! hate! hate!” & I turned to my niece & said this is like the outward aggressive version of being a Witness. You’re subtly indoctrinated to hate. Hate the world, hate gays, hate other religions, hate anyone that is not a JW & sometimes even hate those that are, hate the disfellowshipped but most of all, HATE APOSTATES!!!!
And they can deny that they hate but at the end of the day, they are wishing for all of these people to be dead one day.
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Marty says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:32 am
I experienced this when the JW I worked for, along with his son, suddenly let me go after 15 years of hard graft without as much as a “Thank You”.
Struggling financially I finally had a job offer from a “worldly” person for full time employment. The reason he asked me was that the guy he had before was unreliable, lazy, incompetent and a liability. That guy was, and still is a JW!
So, yes there is such a thing as genuine kindness in the “World”!
P.S All the folks I have met since leaving this toxic cult have proven far more loving and sincere individuals than most of the JW’s I knew for the 23 years I was “in”
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Steve McRoberts says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:33 am
Great post, Anthony!
Changing names, but here’s a true story.
Paul and Mary were in the same congregation and kept in touch by mail after he had faded and she had disassociated. There was no romantic ties, as there was a big age difference, and Mary was married: they were just friends. One day Mary wrote to Paul that her daughter, whom she had at 16 and had given up for adoption, was now an adult and had tracked her down. She and her daughter corresponded for a while, and they desperately wanted to meet in person. The problem was: they were both poor, and lived across the country from each other.
Paul, though he was working part-time as a janitor, bought a non-refundable round-trip plane ticket for Mary to visit her daughter, and mailed it to her. Mary was overjoyed and she flew to meet her daughter and had a tearful reunion.
A sad postscript: Shortly after this, Mary went back to the Witnesses and immediately cut off all contact with Paul.
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John Baptist says:
July 21, 2015 at 8:30 am
First of all good article Anthony. These are subjects that are good to cover in order to see the True reality of this Man made Religion that requires you to serve their leaders unconditionally but yet in return they put conditions on you being accepted in to their fold. How Sad and completely wrong.
True Love and compassion is UNCONDITIONAL!
And there are countless humans in this “WORLD” that display this on a daily basis.
But when your a Billion dollar toxic cult that indoctrinates its members by throwing out LABELS and hoping they stick, you really realize how far off base and out there they are in their thought processes.
I have been that child who was required by force to conform since the age of 10 and was forced to be baptized at 15 or else.
Since not agreeing with their false prophecy’s but remaining a Christian i was ousted out and what ensued was beyond belief. And they call this LOVE?
My then wife told me i was not worth investing in since i was not part of the religion anymore and degraded me and forced me out of the relationship. Again a relationship based on conditions as well as a relationship with a organisation based on conditions.
So there i was tossed out like garbage and falsely accused of horrendous drama filled accusations without proof. Again is this unconditional Christ like Love in operation? Absolutely Not!!
The life that followed was of abrupt change to which i am so thankful and have not one regret.
Since being ousted to the “World” i have regained my mental stability in reality. Yes there are folks out there that are bad to be associated with but there are just as much inside those four Kingdom Hall walls who disguise it with their own dual personality. One when their inside the hall and one when their outside. We all know what i’m talking about here.
Since 1992 i have relationships with people who are really “Honest Hearted” and who to this day wouldn’t hesitate to call on for help and they would give it unconditionally. This is true love based on relationships that have stood the test of time.
In my circle of friends i would trust any of them and they likewise with me. And they all come from different faiths and backgrounds.
Its no wonder the Watchtower Society paints literally in their publications such worthless propaganda when it comes to the “World” because they hold you Hostage from seeing the Real “Truth” about it.
Wake up Folks and regain your own life back from this ever indoctrinating religion that TRULY wastes your life and time!
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anonymous says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:09 am
All the fifty years I was in the “truth” I was made to feel bad if I contributed to any charity that wasn’t the Watchtower organization. In the United States there are hospitals that take sick kids and they never receive a bill. There’s all kinds of charities for children with cancer and all kinds of illnesses that parents don’t have the money for. Even McDonalds has Ronald McDonald houses for parents to stay when their child is being treated for cancer.
When one of the three times after I stopped going to meetings, two elders stopped by to talk to me, I brought up that there are a lot of worldly people who do many good things for people just because they are good people and the two elders looked at me blankly and denied it and implied I was lying.
There are charities for children, animals and veterans from the military. There’s charities to help people live in homes that they can’t afford to buy. People start charities for people whose houses have burned up in fires and have suffered from floods. The list goes on and on but Witnesses turn a blind eye to it.
They turn their backs on anything that might help their fellow man and think that if they have an extra dollar in their pocket, the only honorable place to put it is in the contribution box at the Kingdom Hall because they think with that dollar, just maybe somebody might get a Watchtower magazine and read it and it will give them everlasting life in the new world. Their kids are even made to feel guilty if they don’t take their allowances and put that in the contribution boxes.
Now that I have left the Organization, I see those charities as what they really are. They are real charities, unlike the fake charity of the Watchtower Organization. The Watchtower Organization’s only charity is to take money for themselves so they can buy more property.
If anyone of Jehovah’s Witnesses comes into hard times, the Society will put the guilt on the Witnesses’
close friends to help them out.
You will never see a video from the Society where the Organization will help out the motherless child or the widows or the person who lost his job so he could attend the meetings. It ain’t never gonna happen. Not in our lifetime.
What Witnesses are told to do is put their trust in Jehovah. If Jehovah doesn’t help them out of their hard times, it has to be because Jehovah isn’t blessing them because they are doing something wrong and they will turn a blind eye to their problems.
If a Witness needs food or rent money or anything else, they will have to go to a worldy food bank or ask for charity from one of Christendom’s charities and this will happen, no matter how many years of free voluntary service that Witness did for the Organization.
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Average Joe says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:25 am
There are good people both inside and outside the JW organisation. JWs don’t have the monopoly on being nice, loving people. However, the other can be said too. Not every JW is a heartless self-centred individual either. It all boils down to who you are as a person, at your core. If you are a decent individual then that will shine through no matter what religion or creed your profess.
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Catalina says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:29 am
Anthony Mathenia I agree with you. In religions like JW’s, kindness is not free or without conditions. This article is awesome. Please let me share my experience with you. The august 15, 2000 watchtower has an article called, The Only Way to Eradicate Hate. This article shows three sisters of James Byrd Jr are Jehovah’s Witnesses. In 1998 three white men dragged James Byrd Jr behind a truck for two miles because he was black. The coroner’s report showed James Byrd kept his head up while he was being dragged until he was killed. James Byrd Jr’s sisters feel Jehovah God and the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion is their haven from the outside world, (satan’s world). I can’t imagine how his sisters feel. I can’t imagine the thoughts they must have. If I was them I’d want to kill every white man I’d see. My father became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1943. His family is very bigoted and racist. For example : My dad’s sister is not a JW, she is baptist. Her daughter teaches in sunday school. She and her daughter speak very negatively about colored people. They call all colored people niggers and are hateful towards them in public. I was with them one time when we saw a white girl with a black man at a movie theater and they made rude comments to the couple. I felt very uncomfortable. The couple got really offended and angry. I said to the couple, I’m sorry you guys, I don’t feel that way. They asked me why I hung out with them. If my father hadn’t become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1943 he would have continued to act like that. I’m glad I was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses because I really did get something good out of it. I have problems with the religion but I have problems with all religions and I disregard all religions. My psychiatrist wants me to remember the good things I’ve experienced in life, love my JW family, forgive them and move on. I know I don’t want to be like my non JW family because they are creepy and hateful. My JW family is a lot nicer. I visit my jw family and they don’t know anything about my private life. I keep my financial situation, my sex life, my political views and my religious views to myself because I know those issues aren’t anyone else’s business. Fortunately I live in a different state from my family. I don’t get to pushy with my JW family. I know when to shut up. I’m learning how respect is given and received in therapy. My psychiatrist says it takes two things to be happy in life. 1.) Don’t expect everyone to agree with you. and 2.) Don’t expect everyone to like you. I’m in therapy for emotional abuse. It is helping. The idea of being a jw and being separate from the world helped my dad with his bigotry. My dad moved us to California in 1964 to get us away from his family. I’m glad the JW religion helped my dad improve his attitude with bigotry. My dad encouraged my brother to date a colored sister when my brother expressed he liked her ! my brother did so. Everyone is fighting their own battles in life. I’m learning from the group therapy. It’s rare to find a non dysfunctional family. People use religion as a crutch. Religious leaders abuse their power. Therapy teaches us to stay away from a particular family member who adds stress to our life. I’m not alone. In therapy I’ve learned this is what happens when people can’t agree to disagree. Articles like the one you wrote helps people a lot. Thank you.
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Average Joe says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:29 am
On a side point Anthony, I’d totally forgotten about the “Gay Cowboys”!
If Jehovah disapproves of Disco then I’m in big trouble given my hefty vinyl collection of Bee Gees, EW&F, Sly & The Family Stone etc! :)
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kofybean says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:37 am
“The world”. What a joke. The shoud of bigotry and racism stand before you.
“And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” -Matthew 5:47
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Hakizimana Jean de Dieu says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:40 am
“worldly people” are naturally beautiful as they do not read JW Publications. Hateful teachings that Watchtower instills subtly into Jehovah’s Witnesses’ minds constitute a vibrant evidence than one can transform humans into animals so easily using hateful publications:
*** w07 7/1 p. 13 par. 4 Highlights From the Book of Ezekiel—I ***
We do not need to let our eye feel sorry for those who receive God’s adverse judgment or feel compassion for them.
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Queen Elsa says:
July 21, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Sounds like a sociopath.
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Average Joe says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:43 am
@kofybean.
Excellent use of scripture and a very valid point!
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Criticus says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:05 am
All,
I can only add what others & myself have said repeatedly by now:
The worst people I ever had to deal with are JWs; the kindest individuals I ever came across are “bad worldly unbelievers”, including those whose humanity, religiosity, and TRUE spirituality would let some of the most raging fundamentalist-JWs look like godless brutes.
It is as simple as that. I could append this with a long biography, relating my experiences as a long-time “Full Time Servant”, including work at several foreign branch offices. What I was forced to witness and to suffer there beggars all description; in general, it was rotten and corrupt; in part, it was criminal. Beyond my “glorious” Bethel experiences, I witnessed (and still do) recurring arrogance, conceit, self exaltation, hubris, vanity, sheer stupidity, coupled with crude and outright abuse of power on the part of very small and low characters across a number of congregations half around the globe. This has nothing to do with occasional “human imperfection”, as is the standard Watchtower excuse to brush aside those gross and intrinsic “failures and flaws” of the Watchtower system. The more I was exerting myself acc. to the book and by the letter in all that I deemed was laid upon me as my “sacred duty”, the more I got treated like crap within the sunny “spiritual paradise”. Even if you are a “model-JW”, this is no guarantee that you “are in ‘good standing’ “, and you still may get whipped, spanked, rebuked, berated, reprimanded, “counseled”, depending of who doesn’t like your face or your nose or may simply feel challenged by you or your very existence. Wherever I go, wherever I look within the “divine organization by its own grace”, I see the same distinctive spirit floating around and permeating it like a bad stench: One of arrogance, conceit, haughtiness and superiority. Needless to state that this is not the “spirit from above”, but it is “earthly, unspiritual, demonic”, James 3,15. It is not God’s Holy Spirit that is breathing through this manmade entity called “Watchtower”, or “JW.Org”, or whatever its fallible human leaders who deem themselves gods may still call it.
In contrast, during the past few years I had the pleasure and the privilege to meet people – non-JWs, “worldly people”, “unbelievers” by WTS-standards – who show respect, decency, politeness and appreciation, not only for a job well done, but for you as a person and a human being. Happily, it is suchlike people I am now having dealings with on a day-to-day basis, and it didn’t take much to realize what humongous cognitive dissonance any JW is hauling around who gets pounded into his brain by Watchtower/JW.Org that “we are the best, we are the only ones showing true Christian love” – really??? Just because “we” don’t take up arms to go to war? Read up on this and educate yourself, to see how many more there are who didn’t and don’t go to war – not bec. of being told by a human Central Committee, but bec. of TRULY being human, using their own god-given mental faculties, based on their OWN well-cultivated convictions. And how about this “weapon” – the “tongue that stabs like a sword” – isn’t this a weapon too? And oh how busy it is among all those gossiping, chattering, backstabbing, pettily critical, judgmental Witnesses who are talking behind each others’ backs, knowing exactly when, how & where Witness Such-And-Such miserably flunked and failed to live up to petty little manmade standards, “not doing enough” and not “being exemplary”.
“4 legs goooood – 2 legs baaaaad – JW goooood – non-JW baaaaad” – not in my book any longer, dear comrades & fellows.
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rob says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:51 am
I absolutely hate the term “worldly people” and after leaving the witness religion I have made friendships with many people who are kind, spiritual and charitable and who are extremely trustworthy.
I knew some very wonderful people who were witnesses but unfortunately for many of those individuals friendship came with a caveat ” the witness religion comes first and friendship can only be conditional on being friends with those who follow the witness rules”
When I faded these individuals faded from me because I no longer was a witness. Makes me sad to think that people will allow themselves to be told who they can associate with and who can be a part of their lives.
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Ted says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:51 am
While still entrenched in that awful religion, and indoctrinated
to think those outside were godless and selfish, I experienced
kindness from a total stranger that gave me pause.
On my way to work one winters morning, my old car stalled.
I lifted the bonnet ( hood) to check for any apparent cause,
when an expensive looking car going in the opposite direction
pulled up on the other side of the road. A well dressed man
came across to me asking if I needed assistance? which I did.
Between us, we decide the problem was a flat battery, he asked
if had a towline and he would pull my car to get it started, but I
did not have a towline.
He then produced from his trunk what looked like a small rug
and wrapped it round his front bumper ( fender) and said,
“As he couldn’t pull me along, he would push me.
He then turned his car around, in the opposite direction to his
intended journey, and without concern of damage to his own
vehicle, he pushed me along for several hundred yards till my
old banger sparked into life, Afraid to pull up, in case it stalled
again, I kept on driving, never even having the chance to thank
him. But all these years after I still remember his kindness.
Cult driven misanthropy is false. There are millions of genuine
Good Samaritans out there.
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Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 11:03 am
I have always despised the term “worldly people!” I was brainwashed into the org for 40 years! My family and I have experienced some of the worst treatment from jw’s than I care to remember now. When I left and began to visit different Churches, I was always welcomed and encouraged! Not only the first time, but every time!
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It'sJustMe says:
July 21, 2015 at 11:47 am
The seven pharisees of the “governing body” and their appointed underlings have much incentive to make people “in the world” appear as most unkind as possible in the eyes of their flock, violating outrageously on one hand some basic human rights, and manipulating on a second hand their flock to encourage them to remain without puting a question mark over their spiritual competence, making them swallow their “new lights” gluttonously.
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Markw1509 says:
July 21, 2015 at 1:52 pm
My wife’s parents have been witnesses for over 50 years. They are now invalid and in their 80’s.
They desperately need help and the only help they get is from their daughter, my wife. Also, their local neighbours help them out whenever they need it.
As my wife and I are no longer witnesses, no-one in their congregation helps out at all, not even with visits.
The witnesses are selfish and do not display Christianity in any way. The neighbours, many of which are atheists, cannot do enough for my wife’s parents.
If my in-laws had to rely on witnesses to help them, they would have died of neglect years ago.
Pitiful and shameful!
Thank goodness for the neighbours!
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Grace says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:02 pm
Remember how we were always told that no one else but the Witness have the love that we have as to give up our life for another. What a load of hot air!
Just to show that human kindness is out there, this story proves that one man was willing to put his life on the line for his mate. Julian Wilson, a pro surfer was emotional over not being able to get to Mick Fanning when the shark attacked his board. Scary stuff.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-21/fanning-returns-home-after-shark-attack/6635540
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Get Involved
Occasionally we receive emails from readers who want to get involved in our work of surveying the opinions of Jehovah’s Witnesses and providing objective analysis of Watchtower developments. This page offers a number of suggestions as to how you can help out.
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“Why Jehovah’s Witnesses Need Your Help”
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Witnesses tend to be suspicious when it comes to accepting literature from others – especially literature that might criticize their beliefs. However, with a degree of tact and sincerity there is every likelihood that a Witness will read a well-worded leaflet if his peers are unaware that he has it, and he already has doubts.
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19 Responses to Get Involved
Faithful Witness says:
October 4, 2013 at 1:26 pm
“Witnesses tend to be suspicious when it comes to accepting literature from others – especially literature that might criticize their beliefs. However, with a degree of tact and sincerity there is every likelihood that a Witness will read a well-worded leaflet if his peers are unaware that he has it, and he already has doubts.”
I’m sure a door knocker will not accept a flyer, since they are with a carload of JW’s. Do you have any ideas for reaching JW’s, besides waiting for them to come to your door? I would love to help people start to reason for themselves, without the aid of the Watchtower publication to “guide” their thought process.
Reply
M says:
October 6, 2013 at 10:39 am
I have a suggestion for your 10 questions for witnesses, relating to the 1914 doctrine. While the quote is powerful, I find it even more powerful to point out that the last days in their chronology originally began in 1799.
Reply
70wksofyrs says:
October 7, 2013 at 9:51 am
Cedars,
Thank you for the time, effort, and money spent helping us with your website. We would truly love to repay you in any way we can.
I will send you an email with our offer of how we are able to get involved.
Thank you
70wks…….
Reply
Nancy says:
October 7, 2013 at 10:42 am
It has been my experience very few people care about exposing unrighteousness. The few people who care become Jehovah’s Witnesses and when they find out the society isn’t so much for exposing unrighteousness as it is for exhalting itself, those few leave. I have made it my occupation to right wrongs, but I haven’t found anyone who cares about what I see. Not one.
I won’t quit though. When I feel it is appropriate to include a link on forum or on my blog I do. But evidence so far points to nobody cares. I realize many people care about their own project. My project is God’s Word and I’m alone. I haven’t met anyone yet who cares about the rightness of God’s Word.
Reply
70wksofyrs says:
October 14, 2013 at 9:33 am
Cedars,
I hope you realise how powerful your work on this site is. My precious girl and I just had a really nice chat. I put pressure on her, but I am so forgivable. Its a rough ride, ups and downs but you have made me laugh on my most stressed days.
You are so funny even when you aren’t trying to be, you do need to lighten up sometimes. We all take things personally if we didn’t we would still be in the WTBTS.
We are going to get involved, spreading the word and getting people to take your survey.
70wks….
Reply
Junebug says:
November 28, 2013 at 6:17 am
After I left the organization, I found a pamphlet on line and printed & copied it. I also typed up a simple letter with the greeting as “Dear Jehovah Witness Friend. I would sign the letter with my initials only. Example:
LJW- Your Ex Jehovah Witness Friend.
I got out the phone book and addressed these letters to those who attended my local KH. I didn’t send them out all at once, but over a period of weeks, months. This was my ministry to them. Who knows how many hearts were reached or doubts that were made.
Reply
Jay says:
March 6, 2014 at 9:19 am
Yes the rightness of goods word is something where I am asking myself, what is the right way to go. I was born in the truce, was never baptised, though. I have God and Jesus in my heart, but I don’t accept the rules of GB. We will see what the time bring us. I have the feeling there are a lot likeminded people, who think the same.
Reply
Mark says:
March 28, 2014 at 11:04 pm
Give me a grenade launcher, I’ll happily aim it at every WT property I come across and I’ll pull the trigger over and over again. If this means going to prison, no problem, I can live with that. This corporation needs to be disposed of. Quickly. I hate them.
Too many years I suffered abuse at their hands. My childhood I would not wish on my worst enemy. Then years later, I lost my son because of this arsehole sect. I was born in (very strict parents) 3rd generation.
The JW’s want their worst ‘terrorist’ nightmare to come true? Yeah bring it on. If I could physically nuke all of their properties, I would plain and simple – I think they’re rotten to the core.
Reply
JenniBenson says:
April 13, 2014 at 11:08 am
hi there. I am so grateful that I have found this site. I live in South Africa, and you will not believe how active the organisation is here. I would like to get involved….publicly. There are very few south Africans that are aware of these sites…I just happened to be bored one day, and was looking up Jehovahs Witnesses on FB to see what would crop up. Imagine my delight when I found support groups for those of us who were left in limbo, cut off from our familys by the watchtower. like most, I still have close family in the organisation. I would really like to start speaking out, and educating people. Please email me, and let me know what needs to be done. you are all doing amazing work!!!
Reply
Kaitlyn says:
May 1, 2014 at 3:50 am
Laundry rooms where they leave all their literature…You can leave some of your own :) Some people print out stickers with jwsurvey.org on them and stick them to the Watchtower and Awakes already there.
Reply
Kaitlyn says:
May 1, 2014 at 3:52 am
^Dangit. I was trying to reply to Faithful Witness…Probly should’ve checked the date before I replied. Lol Now I feel dumb.
Reply
Jerry O Connor says:
August 27, 2014 at 7:41 am
Mark you are a man after my own heart. But the head say`s no to extremism no matter how we would wish to vent our anger even hatred on watchtower. Let me put a scenario to you. Mister Xjw decides to place a bomb at a convention. Hundreds are killed and many more injured. The Brooklyn Dodgers aka the GB would have just what they want. Propaganda on an enormous scale with new captives lining up to join. So it would be counter productive to us and to all who may wish to escape this evil cult. Use the jw tactic, smother with love and truth. This time the love would be unconditional and yes the truth would be just that. I take it that you are a young man Mark,, I am 56 but I well know how you feel An Irish saying goes “A good run is better than a bad stand” So let us keep chipping away at the rotten edifice.
Jerry.
Reply
William Moore says:
November 12, 2014 at 10:15 pm
Hi Cedars,
It’s been 11 years since my disfellowshipping, and I found my voice on the matter about 6 years after the fact. I applaud your site in that it attempts to fight the root of the issue without making people feel you’re steering them in some other weird direction.
I want to start a campaign that follows witnesses to the preaching work and knocks on the same doors directly after the witnesses do. The pamphlet I want to leave would be about the cognitive dissonance caused by the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I then wish to publish video of that act everywhere for witnesses to see.
This seems like the best approach to stifle new growth and will peek the interest of those in their preaching work.
https://www.facebook.com/ExJehovahsWitnesses?ref=hl
Reply
Art Fern says:
March 13, 2015 at 3:51 pm
You may wish to go “ahead” of the WatchTower folks. I get lots of people knocking on my front door, trying to sell me everything from a new dentist to prepaid funerals/ cremation services. It just hit me, the link: both have something to do with filling cavities, Oh well I admit the weird sense of humor. So if I just finished with the JWs and a minute later ringy-dingy, I won’t be happy. Drop off the JW Facts printable pamphlet to help prepare the residents to deal with the WT and ask “interesting” questions. Prior to the yearly convention in Tucson, Arizona, I get dozens of kids and some adults inviting me to attend. I kept and dated the *27 invites I was handed or found jammed under the mat or wedged in the door frame, I had 9 sets of callers from the Tower I did speak with. So imagine if you covered a few neighborhoods just as or before the Witnesses start handing out invites for the 2015 convention. You think there might be a less welcoming response greeting those in Field Service? * I suspect since I was using my real name to comment to Apostanestra sites, some in the congregation were sent to see who I was and if anyone knew me.
Reply
ken brewer says:
December 11, 2014 at 12:18 pm
I agree with this writer,they destroyed my LIFE!While these pricks live in the lap of luxury,are exalted and the red carpet every where they go! This is (EVIL) and where IS the JUSTICE!! MURDER,S , EXTORIONISTS , THEVE,S AND CON ARTIST,S! you took the words right out of my mouth, NUKE EM!!
Reply
It Tech. says:
January 10, 2015 at 11:58 pm
http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/watchtower-scandal.php
I would suggest EVERYONE reads the contents of this website. Prepare to have your eyes opened. They have lied from the beginning and destroy letters and evidence constantly.
Reply
Dogila Soft says:
May 4, 2015 at 3:40 am
We (DogiLa Soft) developed a new Android application to help the overseers get the full benefit of “the opportune time” (Eph 5:16).
Among the fine qualities required of overseers is that of being orderly. —1 Tim. 3:2
“Theocratic Timer 2015” is a valuable tool for an overseer who appreciates this quality. It is our desire to help each one to apply 1 Cor. 14:40 with your progressive counsel and to avoid parts that are rushed in or poorly developed.
Share this app and make the App reachable throughout the JW Ministry.
Download link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.robz.theoraticaltimer
Reply
Excelsior! says:
May 4, 2015 at 7:51 am
Dogila Soft,
Why are you advertising your apps on this site, of all places?
You do realise that this is a site that no self respecting Elder would visit, don’t you?
Still, now that you are here, allow me to reccomend some apps that would be of real benefit:
1. An app that contacts child services and the police as soon as any phone call to the legal department at Bethel is contacted about child abuse.
2. An app that can access the original works butchered by the WTBTS in their quotations, with a feature that makes plain their dishonest punctuation and grammar.
3. An app that identifies wife beaters and automatically contacts the police.
I hope that my suggestions are of benefit to you.
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
Reply
Average Joe says:
July 21, 2015 at 3:24 pm
@Excelsior
I’M a self-respecting elder and I’m on here! 😉
Your name reminds me of a Federation ship from Star Trek.
Let me know when you have the App finished!
Yes advertising comments and hate comments on here should really be removed as per guidelines. Job for the admins.
Peace back at you.
Reply
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The must-read story of a ministerial servant and his wife who woke up in the last few months
The must-read story of a ministerial servant and his wife who woke up in the last few months
"Shun your disfellowshipped loved ones!": Shocking District Convention talk hits YouTube
"Shun your disfellowshipped loved ones!": Shocking District Convention talk hits YouTube
Tony Morris scapegoats gay people in bizarre child abuse denial rant
Tony Morris scapegoats gay people in bizarre child abuse denial rant
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Has Watchtower ever lied or withheld informatiion?
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jwsurvey-team2Other contributors to JWsurvey include “Susannah” (JehovahsWitnessReport.com), Richard E. Kelly (AAWA.co and richardekelly.com) and Joanna Foreman (author of “The Know-It-All Girl“).
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A Glimpse Into the Life of a Child Raised as a Jehovah’s Witness https://richarddawkins.net/2015/07/a-glimpse-into-the-life-of-a-child-raised-as-a-jehovahs-witness/ … via @Richard Dawkins Foundation
Retweeted by Lloyd Evans
Show Summary Reply
Retweet
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14h
Louis Theroux ✔ @louistheroux
"When your legs don't work like they used to before..."
Did you just THREATEN ME, Ed Sheeran??!
Retweeted by Lloyd Evans
Expand
14h
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
Thanks to @armathenia for a beautiful piece about the innate kindness of "worldly people"... http://wp.me/p1TWXJ-212
Show Summary
20 Jul
Linda DubrowMarshall @DrLindaDM
Cameron to unveil plan to tackle Islamist extremism http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33590305 …
Retweeted by Lloyd Evans
Show Summary
20 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
Ex-Believers Accuse Jehovah's Witness Leadership Of Covering Up Sexual Abuse http://www.inquisitr.com/2265651/ex-believers-accuse-jehovahs-witness-leadership-of-covering-up-sexual-abuse/ … via @theinquisitr
Show Summary
19 Jul
TED Talks ✔ @TEDTalks
Powerful and practical advice for those who hope to change the world: http://t.ted.com/z6iNsS0
Retweeted by Lloyd Evans
Show Summary
19 Jul
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Enough is Enough: We Can’t Ignore All the Accusations and Cover-Ups and Payouts and Crimes http://tinyurl.com/pf8wew3
Retweeted by Lloyd Evans
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19 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
I've just realized I have 1,000 followers! Time to start my cult...
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19 Jul
Maajid Nawaz @MaajidNawaz
PM Cameron @Number10gov gives major policy-defining speech on extremism tomorrow. I helped with it. It's significant. pic.twitter.com/4Mmy7YQSSP
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View image on Twitter
Expand
19 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
ISIS are the Nazis of our age. If the Third Reich were somehow reincarnated in the Middle East, it's hard to imagine it being any worse.
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17 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
Whoever sent me the awesome cover version of "Good Things, Bad Things," please give me permission to share it!
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17 Jul
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Former Jehovah’s Witness Servant Explains How the Organization Fired Him Without Warning http://tinyurl.com/pkzqa6o
Retweeted by Lloyd Evans
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16 Jul
Megan Phelps-Roper @meganphelps
Different organization, similar experiences. @DanielGenser on questioning and then leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses: https://medium.com/keep-learning-keep-growing/what-i-believe-to-be-true-and-how-i-have-come-to-believe-it-13df821c3ed …
Retweeted by Lloyd Evans
Show Summary
17 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
My 10 reasons why I believe Watchtower could be on the verge of imploding... http://wp.me/p1TWXJ-21N
Show Summary
17 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
A Glimpse Into the Life of a Child Raised as a Jehovah's Witness - http://go.shr.lc/1CKjb7j via @Shareaholic
Expand
16 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
Proud to be involved with this billboard project - http://go.shr.lc/1O8t27P via @Shareaholic
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15 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
Remembering Karl Towndrow http://www.gofundme.com/karltowndrow?pc=14_tw_2 … via @gofundme
Expand
14 Jul
Guardian G2 @guardiang2
Why Jehovah's Witnesses have given up knocking on doors and taken to the streets. By @harrietsherwood http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/14/jehovahs-witnesses-evangelism-church-god-armageddon …
Retweeted by Lloyd Evans
Show Summary
14 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
Thanks to @harrietsherwood for quoting me in this superb, well-rounded piece on #jehovahswitnesses... http://gu.com/p/4a4v6/stw
Show Summary
14 Jul
Lloyd Evans @cedarsjwsurvey
Jehovah’s Witnesses take to streets as busy heathens are rarely home http://gu.com/p/4a4v6/stw
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